The World's Greatest Uncle 3: Orphans' Trials
by Canada Cowboy
Summary: Yoshi and the Smashers are put in action again after Yoshi's cousin Milo ran into problems at school. The more popular students are ostracizing Milo for his status as a former orphan, and want to have nothing to do with Milo and his friends. With Milo being taunted and bullied, can Yoshi and the Smashers help Milo and his friends?
1. Shot to the Ribs

I'm off hiatus, and I'm writing again. I decided to go back to a series I haven't touched in more than 3 years. The inspiration for this story is from Avatar, mainly the Korra series. I want to thank **Kelev** and **Cody the Pikachu** for giving me great advice. The only regret is that we can't come up with an appropriate title! I also want to recognize **Wavebreeze**, as one of her stories ("What We Saw From the Outside") is similar to this one. I had a hand in helping her with that story, but I want to change the premises of that story and do it my way. What's more, that story has some inaccuracies that I didn't really like, and I want to change those to fit this story better. On that note, let's begin!

Nintendo owns Super Smash Bros. I own Milo Sullivan, his parents, his friends, and all other OC's in this story.

* * *

"It's so great to be back again," a green dinosaur exclaimed as he marched through the front doors of the large mansion. This green figure, named Yoshi, was one of a dozen individuals who would return to the Smash Mansion for the fourth time. He still remembered the first time he came, when he was just a wild-eyed rookie wondering why he was summoned here. "Now I get to show the newbies how it's all done," he added.

Yoshi turned to his friend standing to his left, a plumber dressed in blue overalls and wearing a red cap. "Hey Mario, who do you think the newbies will be this time?" he asked.

Mario scratched his head while giving Yoshi a slight grin. "I know a couple of names that I'm familiar with who will join us," he described, shuffling through the spacious front hall and into the aisle leading to the back. The light from the front windows above the doors shone the way, like guiding them to their destination. "Rosalina, who I met with the Comet Observatory, will be here this time. There are a couple other names from our other friends, but most of the ones I heard about are people who were here before."

Yoshi nodded, eager to meet the new people. "What about Luigi?" he queried, "I didn't see your brother when we were walking in, so is he invited back?"

"Luigi said he was invited, but he'll be running late. He said some weird things are going on with ghosts again, and he wants to fix those before getting here," Mario explained. The famous plumber's green-clad younger brother built a mansion from an old treasure left by ghosts and spirits, but was asked to assist in a further poltergeist investigation in a far-off valley. He did promise to make it to the Smash Mansion, but couldn't guarantee an arrival time.

"Didn't you get trapped in a portrait again through that ordeal?" Yoshi snickered, taking a dig at his long-time friend, "Why does King Boo love putting people in portraits?"

Mario shrugged. "At least I can count on my brother to help me when I need it," he replied, "Either way, Luigi said he wanted to stay with ghost investigation for a while, and won't be coming until later. So I guess we shouldn't expect him to arrive for another few days."

Just when they entered the living room area, they were greeted by a fantastic sight. All their friends from previous invitations were there, and immediately greetings were exchanged. Mario went to greet Peach, the princess of Mushroom Kingdom, while Yoshi went to two fellow small and speedy Smashers, Kirby and Pikachu. "How's it going, you guys?" Yoshi stated.

"Hey Yoshi, haven't seen you in a while," the pink, round, puffy Star Warrior responded, giving the dinosaur a pat on the back, "Dedede and I arrived at the same time, and I'm just glad he isn't causing trouble here like he was in Dreamland." Kirby pointed to the self-proclaimed king of Dreamland, a large penguin-like creature who swung a huge hammer around. "I don't know if Meta Knight will come back this time though. It'll be fun to see another Star Warrior like me join in again," Kirby added.

"Yeah, I'm in the same boat as you, Kirby," Pikachu added, adjusting the Pokemon translation collar on his neck, "I know Lucario is back, but I haven't seen Jigglypuff yet. She was here the last three times, and I really hope she'll be back for a fourth." The yellow electric rodent and the pink puffball were, like Kirby and Yoshi, present since the beginning. It would be very disappointing if Jigglypuff wouldn't be around. "But anyway, Jigglypuff is usually late arriving, so I won't be surprised if she'll drop in a few days later."

Yoshi nodded thoughtfully. It could be that there were lots of late arrivals, but it could also be due to more players being cut. Master Hand did inform him this time around that there would not be as many outside individuals, so maybe the roster got smaller this time? Shaking his head a couple of times, he turned back to his two friends. "What about some of the other guys?" he asked, "Who else do we know that we've seen so far?"

"Well, Fox is here, but Falco isn't around," Kirby pointed in the opposite direction, where an anthropomorphic vulpine stood holding a water bottle and chatting animatedly with some friends, "We haven't seen Wolf either, but I don't think Fox sees that as a loss."

"I think you can say the same for Link," Pikachu chimed in, pointing to the elf-like man laughing it up with Fox, "Zelda is here with him, and Link's toon version is also here. There's no sign of Ganondorf though, so you can imagine why Link is pretty happy about that."

As if right on cue, both the Hylian hero and the Cornerian pilot turned to the three smaller, younger Smashers. With huge grins on their faces, they trotted over to say hello. "Yoshi, I haven't seen you in a while. How have you been?" Fox greeted.

"Pretty good so far, and I'm happy to be back," Yoshi replied, "But seriously, nobody from your team or even galaxy is here so far? You're all by yourself this time?"

Fox shrugged. "I haven't seen anyone from my world here, so I really don't know what's going on," he stated, taking a glance around, "It'd be cool if Falco can join us again, and I really want Krystal to be here. We worked hard to patch up our relationship, and I really hope she can be here to share this moment with me. It'll be her first time as a Smasher, you know."

All the others became solemn. They were aware that Fox and Krystal, who seemed like a fairy tale couple, had a falling out and almost broke up. Fox worried for Krystal's safety and ordered her off his team, which led to distrust and Krystal temporarily joining Fox's rivals led by Wolf. It was only now, after great effort from both sides, they were on somewhat better terms. If Krystal was invited to join the Smashers, it would really boost the couple's morale.

Yoshi shook his head again, getting the melancholic thoughts out of his mind. He turned to the swordsman in green and asked with a huge grin, "I'm guessing there's no such problem with you and Zelda, right? You two are the worst kept secret among all the Smashers. So let us hear it: how are things between you and Zelda?"

Link gave a nervous chuckle while rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, we're officially a couple, if that's what you want me to announce. But since you all know that already, I won't bore you with all the details," he answered sheepishly. Hyrule was in the midst of a rebuild after the last war, and Link assisted Zelda every step of the way. Not only were there modernization of society, they also updated all the laws and there were even talks of drafting a constitution. "We still haven't decided when to tie the knot yet, but we're both hoping it'll be soon."

"But forget about us for a second, Yoshi," Fox interrupted, "You ought to give us some updates. How's your uncle Brendan doing? Or more importantly, how's Milo doing?"

All sets of eyes turned to Yoshi, especially Link and Fox. Just like the latter two, Milo was an orphan. Yoshi and the Smashers had the privilege of meeting Milo about two years ago, when they visited Yoshi's uncle and aunt in San Francisco. Milo was ultimately adopted by Yoshi's uncle, and had grown close to Yoshi and the Smashers. "He's doing pretty well the last time I checked," Yoshi replied, "He's finishing his freshman year in high school this summer, and I think he's thinking about trying out for a sports team."

"Well, if he makes it, then we should definitely go support him. Shouldn't it be easier for us to travel to his place, since your uncle is an honorary Smasher?" Link pointed out. Brendan was the younger brother of Yoshi's father, and he was made an honorary Smasher a few years back. One privilege of this title was unlimited access to the Smash Mansion. Master Hand even recently included a device that allowed Brendan and his family teleportation straight to Smash Mansion, meaning there could be visits between them at any time. "If need be, we'll just teleport over and watch Milo at one of his games, right?" Link suggested.

Yoshi's cellphone interrupted further discussion. Excusing himself, the young dinosaur pulled out an egg-shaped device from his bag and trotted a few steps away. That left the rest of the group to chat amongst themselves. "Zelda's just over there with Samus," Link pointed out, tilting his head the opposite way, "Don't worry, there'll be no funny business while we're here. We both have a reputation to uphold in Hyrule, and that means abstinence before marriage."

That got the group hooting and hollering, given Link's history with girls. Throughout the Hylian hero's adventures, there were always women willing to throw themselves at him, but Link always had his eyes set for Zelda. They grew close during their adventures together, and now became a great couple. "Before long, we might have a pairing war here," Fox commented.

Just then, Yoshi returned to the group with a grim look on his face. "That was Uncle Brendan," he informed his friends, "He told me Milo got injured at his sports tryout. Milo got hit by a baseball, and Uncle Brendan thinks someone intentionally threw at Milo."

That got the colour draining out of the other Smashers' faces. Was Milo the subject of a targeted attack? What was going on at Milo's school?

* * *

The balding man with sandy blond hair was built like a bodybuilder, wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt with the school's logo on it and dark track pants. His gruff demeanor could probably get twenty rowdy high school athletes to attention in seconds. But right now, even this unflappable man could not help but feel intimidated by the steel gaze shot at him by a reptilian figure. "Mr. Klym, I want you to think very carefully before you answer this question," the large dinosaur almost growled, "What exactly happened on that field?"

Said dinosaur was Brendan, a genetically-mutated Yoshi that resembled a real dinosaur more than the regular members of his species. His dragon-like shape, silver skin with two red lines shooting down his spine, and sharp piercing eyes could often strike fear into those around him. Brendan did not pride himself in being intimidating, and actually had a reputation for being a friendly and open individual. But when something as important as this was on the line, it was time to dig out his fearsome self. "What happened to my boy out there?" he demanded.

"I promise you, it was nothing but an accident," Mr. Klym responded, waving his hands in assurance, "So the tryouts got a bit intense and the pitcher missed the strike zone. We have everything under control, and Milo will be out of the trainer's room in no time."

"Stop for a second," Brendan interjected, lifting his short arm in emphasis, "I've played on a high school baseball team when I was young. I also played when I was in college. I had a ten-year career as a professional baseball player before I retired with an injury. I'd like to think I know when a hit-by-pitch is accidental or intentional. Based on what Milo told me, I think it was intentional. What in the world is the varsity team doing out there pitching to a junior varsity tryout? Are you trying to injure the rookies or something?"

"And let me add something as well," a similar-looking dinosaur chimed in. Brendan gave way to his wife Ashley, also a genetically-mutated Yoshi like him. They were of similar size and shape, but Ashley had a blue back and a gold abdomen separated by a wave-like pattern. "You are an athletic director of this school. Every single injury and accident in your school's athletic program will be on the shoulders of you and the other directors. So are you going to come clean with what happened to my son, or will we have to take legal action?"

"Sir, Madam, please," Klym sputtered, beads of sweat now developing on his balding head, "I assure you that legal action is not required. The school has everything under control. This is nothing more than a freak accident. There is no need for alarm, honest!"

"You better hope it's nothing than a freak accident, and that Milo suffered nothing more than superficial cuts and bruises. If any of his ribs so much crack, I'll be in here with a lawyer so quick that your entire athletics program will shut down in minutes, you hear me?" Ashley ranted, sizing up the athletic director the same way her husband did earlier. There was no doubt that mother bear was out of her den, on the prowl, and very angry.

"Mom, Dad," a younger voice called. All three individuals turned to see a teenager hobbling their way. The youngster had dirty blond hair, unruly strands of which peeked out from under a baseball hat worn in reverse. His right hand favoured his left side, rubbing the ribcage while a sports equipment bag hung loosely from his left hand. "It's okay, I'll be fine."

"Milo," Brendan and Ashley weakly stuttered, rushing forward to hold their child. To say Milo Sullivan's family was unusual was an understatement, given how a human boy would call two genetically-mutated dinosaurs his parents. But all that changed when Milo met Yoshi about two years ago, when Milo was twelve years old. After a serious of unpredictable circumstances, Milo was adopted by Brendan and Ashley, leading him to become Yoshi's paternal first cousin. "Are you alright? Your ribs didn't fracture, did they?" Ashley asked.

"Mom, Dad, I'll be fine," Milo repeated himself, wincing in pain as his adoptive parents scanned him all over, "The trainers told me that it's just a big bruise, so I should just ice it when I get home. It shouldn't affect my baseball tryouts, so I'll be back on the field in no time."

"Well, looks like all's well that ends well," Klym interjected, a nervous smile plastered on his face. Stepping over to Milo, he placed a hand on Milo's left shoulder, causing Milo a small flinch. "What did I tell you? Milo is completely fine, so you two have nothing to worry about. So go home, rest up, and I'll see you at the baseball field soon again."

The dark glares from Milo's parents soon got the athletic director scurrying away. For a while, there was no one in that hallway except for the two dinosaurs and their child. The total silence and chilled atmosphere did little to sooth Milo, who felt like he was back in the sewers again. "Can we just go home and forget about what happened?" Milo pleaded.

Brendan and Ashley took one glance at each other before weakly nodding. They turned to the direction of the closest stairway, leading them back to the main floor and to where Milo's day locker was. Unlike his usual energetic self, Milo trudged up the stairs like someone placed a boulder on his back. The infectious smile that was on his face for the better part of the last two years was nowhere to be found. It was like Milo had returned to what he was like before he met Yoshi and the Smashers: a broken, neglected, abused child living in poverty and sadness.

After what seemed like an eternal death march, Milo finally reached his locker. He opened the combination lock with great difficulty, the bruised ribs on his left side doing him no favours. Even his usual tasks of taking out his backpack and putting his books in took longer than usual. It didn't matter that there were still some students doing extracurricular activities, or that there was laughter and cheers from students leaving the building. As far as Milo was concerned, nothing could numb the pain on his ribs and his mind.

Finally, Brendan intervened. "You don't have to do this alone, you know," he suggested, helping his son with some notebooks, "Your mother and I are here for you, and so are the rest of the Smashers. In fact, I called Yoshi when I was on my way here."

Milo gave a weak smile at the mention of his cousin. It was no secret that he and Yoshi had grown close. Milo would not be where he was today with Brendan's nephew. Right now, Milo could use some of the support that Yoshi would give him whenever he was down. A pep talk from Yoshi would go a long way to boost his morale.

"But Milo, you have to be honest with us," Ashley added, her look becoming stern again, "Based on what the trainers said, it sounds like something weird was happening on that field. Why would the varsity players target you? Why would they want to throw baseballs at you?"

Milo's jaw opened and closed, his mind racing to shoot the ideas out while his mouth struggled to form the right words. "Guys, it's not like that. The varsity team just wants to give us a taste of the competition this year, and they just got carried away," he explained, rubbing his forehead with shaking hands. Milo's open-fingered gloves, which he wore so religiously, soaked in the cold sweat and chilled Milo's palms to the bone. "Can we get off this topic now?"

"We won't get off this if we find out there is foul play involved," Brendan insisted, taking a stand with his wife, "If the varsity team is targeting you because you're newbies, that's hazing and bullying combined. When I was playing professional ball, our team had a no-hazing policy. Any prank more harmful than a pie in the face would be subject to fines or suspensions. If the varsity team is hazing you, then you should speak up about it."

Before Milo could say another word, a group of people rushed through the school doors and rumbled his way. "Milo, I came as soon as Uncle Brendan told me what happened," Yoshi exclaimed, screeching to a halt in front of the boy and giving him a quick scan-through, "You didn't get hurt, did you? What happened on the baseball field?"

Milo's lips lifted again, this time with more sincerity than before. His cousin Yoshi was his pillar of strength, the one individual who kept him grounded and sane. Even when all of Milo's hope was gone, and he was about to give up on himself, Yoshi was always there to boost Milo. Somehow, he just felt more at ease whenever the young dinosaur was with him. "No, I'm not hurt," he eked out, placing a hand on Yoshi's shoulder, "I just got hit by a baseball on the ribs. I should be fine after icing it tonight, so don't worry about it."

Yoshi tilted his eyes to Milo's left ribs, slight suspicion still lingering on his face. "Well, the rest of the guys are here, so you can always ask us for help. We have a pretty good infirmary at the Smash Mansion, so you can try that if you want better medical attention," Yoshi explained.

Milo's face went from comfort to dismay as he glanced at the group behind Yoshi. There was a pink puffball, a yellow electric rodent, a Hylian hero, and a Cornerian pilot. "I don't mean to be rude, but next time I get injured, can you not bring the entire Smash Mansion?" Milo requested, his eyebrows tilting at the exotic cast behind Yoshi.

* * *

"Milo, can we talk?" a gentle voice from outside Milo's bedroom got the attention of the injured youngster. Lifting his head from his homework, Milo glanced at the door to see his cousin waiting patiently. "Is it alright if I come in?" Yoshi asked gently.

Milo waved in the young dinosaur, wincing as he adjusted the icepack on his ribs. Yoshi marched into the room and slowly closed the door behind him. This room used to be the guest room for whenever Yoshi visited his uncle and aunt, but now it had become Milo's room after the latter's adoption. Oddly enough, it still wasn't decorated much, given Milo brought very little with him when he joined the family. But given how homely Milo felt when he finally had an adult to call a parent, Yoshi would say any room like this was good enough.

Yoshi turned back to his cousin, who organized his homework into completed and to-do piles. "So, how are you feeling right now?" Yoshi asked, sitting on the bed next to Milo's desk.

"I'm alright. The ribs are still a little sore, but I should be back on the field soon," Milo responded, adjusting the icepack once more. Had it not been for the towel wrapped around the pack, Milo's whole shirt would be soaked. "The coaches and trainers all say this isn't a big deal, so it won't affect me that much. Really, you can relax, Yoshi."

Milo shot Yoshi a weak grin, but Yoshi did not return it. "My uncle and aunt aren't in the room right now, and the rest of the Smashers went back, so you can be honest with me," Yoshi explained, eyes staring straight into Milo, "What happened on the field? Who did all this?"

Milo pursed his lips, his eyes downcast and his breathing heavy. He gave Yoshi an uneasy look with his wavering eyes, similar to what happened when Yoshi first met Milo at a holding cell in the police station. "You promise you won't tell anyone? Not just Mom and Dad, but none of the other Smashers can know about this, okay?" he requested.

Yoshi nodded reluctantly. Moistening his lips, Milo leaned his head in Yoshi's direction and quietly began his tale. "You know that this is my first year in school for a long time, right? I was put up for adoption after my father died, and I've been in and out of the system. I even spent three years living in the sewers because some of the older orphans thought it was real cool to start a street gang. You know that, right?" Milo recounted, staring eagerly into Yoshi's eyes.

Yoshi nodded. How could he possibly forget when his own father nearly went blind, all because the street gang wanted revenge? It was the tenth anniversary of the opening of the Yoshi Store, Brendan's pride and joy. Yoshi's father, Yoshi Sr., had come to celebrate his younger brother's success when the street gang sneaked a smoke bomb in the finale. Originally Brendan was the target, but Yoshi Sr. switched places with Brendan at the last second and ended up taking the brunt of the hit. "You guys were mad that Uncle Brendan made so many donations to the orphanage. You blamed Uncle Brendan for keeping that orphanage running and making you guys suffer, so that's why you all ran away and started that gang," Yoshi stated.

Milo nodded. It was a time of his life that he was not proud of, and he still recalled how angry Yoshi was when they first encountered each other. "Well, let's just say even though I'm no longer in that street gang, things aren't going much better," Milo described.

Yoshi listened on intently, with Milo explaining that all the orphans who were in the gang were returned back to the orphanage. Milo was the first to be adopted, courtesy of Brendan and Ashley, and others soon followed suit. "Some of those guys are with me in my school, and we're hanging out with each other," Milo added, "Normally that's a good thing, except nobody in the school really wants to hang out with us."

Yoshi tilted his head in confusion. "What do you mean they don't want to hang out with you?" he asked, "Are you saying you are completely ignored out there?"

Milo tapped his index finger to his lips in hopes of getting Yoshi to lower the volume. The dinosaur settled a bit while Milo glanced at the door, making sure his parents didn't hear their nephew's outburst. "The kids at school have this weird hierarchy where some of them act like they own the place, and anyone who doesn't follow that are shunned or something," Milo continued, his volume and confidence level sinking by the second, "I didn't think much about it at first, but when we didn't really listen to those 'cool' kids, that's when things went crazy."

Yoshi took a deep breath and processed the information. With only the ventilation in the room churning, Yoshi felt like he was back in that police holding cell when he first met Milo. "Is it just a matter of fitting in?" he queried, "I know it'll take a while to fit back in after spending all that time in an orphanage or on the streets, so maybe it's just a time issue."

"I don't think my friends and I are purposely avoiding people. I mean, one of us is in band, while another is in the social justice club. And there's me trying out for baseball too," Milo listed off, lifting one finger for each individual named, "It's just that you have to do everything their way, where you have to worship the ground these guys walk on."

Immediately a look of disgust flashed across Yoshi's face. He might be a veteran Smasher who was there since the first go-around, but never did he treat any newcomers with such a horrible attitude. "So why don't you tell your parents about it then?" he challenged, "If they find out about this, they can at least bring it to the school's attention."

"Yoshi, if I try to tell the school, I'll be treated worse than when I was still living in the sewers!" Milo exclaimed, finding it increasingly difficult to stay calm, "You realize most of those cool kids are also varsity athletes, right? They're the ones out there bringing home the gold for our school. With those guys boosting our school's reputation out there, what makes you think the school will do anything about my complaints?"

"Well, you have to do something about it! Sitting there and letting these guys walk all over you won't solve the problem!" Yoshi retorted, hands gripping the sides of his head in pure frustration, "Is that why they were throwing at you during baseball? They didn't want you on the team, so they wanted to injure you and affect your performance on the field?"

"It's not like that, Yoshi," Milo stuttered, his free hand exasperatedly wiping his face, "Look, I think it's best I try to solve it on my own right now. Thanks for your help, and I will tell Mom and Dad if there's trouble, but can you just trust me on this?"

"And what's the solution you have in mind, Milo?" Yoshi half-snapped and half-pleaded, "Don't tell me you plan to do 'if you can't beat them, join them' and become one of those jerks. Is that why you joined the baseball team, so that you can become one of the bullies?"

"Of course not!" Milo responded, volume increasing for the first time since Yoshi entered the room. The youngster's head shot up, staring back at Yoshi with the strongest expression in the last fifteen minutes, "I joined the team because I've always wanted to play baseball. Dad played the sport, you sometimes play it with Mario and the others, so why can't I?"

Milo reached over and grabbed Yoshi's shoulders. The cousins stared each other straight in the eyes, both realizing that the message would be heartfelt. "I promise you, Yoshi, I will not become like one of those jerks at my school," Milo assured Yoshi, "I still remember who I used to be. I know what it's like to be pushed around and treated like dirt in order to survive. All this talk about social hierarchy and being popular means nothing to me. I won't treat any new kids that way. If anything, I want to help those kids after you helped me."

Yoshi couldn't help by smile at that comment. When Milo left the street gang and went back to the orphanage, there were still many orphans who were there. Then, Milo took it upon himself to bring those kids back, even if it meant risking his own safety. It was in front of the Smashers that Milo declared he did this because Yoshi gave him a second chance in life, and he wanted to offer the same second chance to those kids. "Well, I'm glad you're trying to make it work out then," Yoshi stated with a relieved sigh, "I won't tell your parents or the others, but I do want you to keep us updated. Is there anything else you want me to help you with?"

"Other than with my homework, none at the moment," Milo replied with a chuckle. There was still a mess of papers on Milo's desk, and the teen wanted to get them out of the way as soon as possible, "But we are planning something for the future with the orphanage. The guys and I volunteer there every now and then. We're thinking of doing a music night next month. Mom and Dad already know and they say they'll help out. If you and the Smashers want in on this, then it'll be great. The more the merrier, I say."

Yoshi grinned. Milo still made good on his promise to help out orphans as much as he could, and Yoshi wanted to be there to support his cousin all the way. "I'll talk to the guys, but I'm sure they're all willing to get involved," Yoshi responded, "You're doing this for a really good cause, Milo. Those kids will really appreciate it, and I'm very proud of you."

* * *

Despite being near the back corner of the cafeteria, Milo always found comfort in this little cranny. Here was where he and his friends, all of whom were former orphans, could have their own discussions about topics of their interests without the so-called "cool" kids from the school disturb them. "So I talked to Yoshi about our concert at the orphanage," he began, wiping his mouth with a napkin, "Based on what he said, I'm pretty sure the Smashers are all for it."

"Sounds like a plan," the lone girl of the group, Haley, responded. Haley was a year older than Milo and in her sophomore year. She had brown eyes, brown hair done up in a ponytail, and very tan skin. She was adopted by the Palmer family, with her father a war veteran and her mother a paramedic. She was known to be the straight-talker of the group, and wasn't afraid to show a feisty side. Milo wondered how much of that was her own, and how much of that was influenced by her adoptive parents. "I'm still trying to get the social justice club involved, but it doesn't seem like they're taking this as a priority right now."

"Why would you join up with those guys if they don't even listen to you?" the oldest boy of the bunch, Mark, challenged. Mark was a sophomore like Haley, but was totally opposite in personality. Mark was rather quiet and somewhat antisocial, having known to have joined no clubs or teams. Add on the dark brown hair pointed up and sideways, expressionless face, and piercing hazel eyes, it made Mark appear cold and unfriendly. His adoptive parents, the Kerry family, wondered how long it would take before conversations with Mark became less awkward. "If that club won't care about us, then don't waste our time on them," he added.

"Relax, bro. You can't always think things won't work out, right?" Mark's younger brother Scott chimed in. Unlike Mark, Scott had a very outgoing personality, willing to talk to and fraternize with anything that moved. The Kerry family had a much easier time with Scott than Mark. He had dark brown bed-head hair, a rounder face and body, and energetic hazel eyes. It didn't hurt that Scott, like Milo, was a freshman, meaning his natural curiosity actually endeared him to quite a few people. "I'm in band, and I told some of the band guys that we should go perform. They didn't get back to me yet, but I'm sure it'll work out in the end."

"Forgive me for being sceptical, but I don't trust too many people in this school," Mark retorted harshly, giving his brother a dark look, "When we were still living in the sewers, I had to protect you from that crazy leader who wants us to do illegal stuff. Just because we're no longer there doesn't mean you won't get in trouble, especially with some of the crazy stuff I've seen. In fact, I heard Milo just became a victim of this school's dark side."

All three former orphans stared at Milo, who suddenly felt like hiding under the table. "Uh, what did you hear, Mark?" he asked, nervously grabbing his drink for an uneasy sip.

"Some of the varsity baseball guys were saying they crashed the junior varsity practice yesterday. They said something about bringing the heat and showing the junior team what real baseball is all about," Mark regurgitated, his eyes narrowing by the second, "I heard it was some initiation thing to make junior varsity players duck like sissies, and how one player named Sullivan got it on the ribs. Would you know anything about this, Milo?"

Milo swallowed hard, realizing that Mark got every detail of his incident correct. He knew Mark wasn't about to let this go, but Milo also didn't want to shake the boat. "It's not as bad as they say, you know," he responded, his tone void of any confidence, "Yes, I took a shot to the ribs, but it's nothing I can't handle. Ice it for a while, and I'll be back on the field."

"Milo, you might as well have said that those jerks sucker-punched you in the face," Haley pointed out, her eyebrows tilting into a frown, "You signed up to play baseball, not to take shots from some whippersnappers who think they own the school. If someone tried to throw at me, I'd give them a knuckle sandwich on the spot."

"And from what I heard, this isn't the only time some varsity jerks picked on junior varsity players," Mark added, tilting his head to a few tables ahead of them. There sat an Asian boy wearing a red ball cap and his Caucasian friend with spiky hair. "Those are Richie and Willis, two guys on the junior varsity soccer team. They said some of the varsity soccer guys did something similar during soccer season, when they would purposely kick soccer balls at the junior varsity guys. Those two almost quit the team because of that." Turning back to Milo, Mark's voice became lower and deeper. "Are you sure nothing is going on?"

Milo sighed, struggling to contain his mixed emotions. "Look, even if something is going on, there's not much we can do," he responded, muffled rustles coming from rubbing his fingerless-gloved hands together, "The varsity teams are the ones getting the championships and trophies, and all us junior guys have to earn their respect. If we don't do what they say, then it's not going work out for us. So right now, I'll suck it up until I make the team."

"Just wait," Haley interjected, putting up a hand in Milo's face, "You're telling me you'll let them continue throwing at you and make fun of you while waiting for the final cuts, with no guarantee that you'll even make the team? And what other embarrassing things will they do to you while you wait? Maybe they'll beat you with a bat like a piñata, or how about gluing your baseball glove to your face or something?"

"Besides, it's not like those guys are real champs. Football was eliminated in the semi-finals, while soccer and basketball both failed to make the playoffs," Mark challenged, crossing his arms and leaning back on his chair, "And if you don't make the baseball team, I think they'll see you as even more of an outcast and will bully you more. They're not exactly treating us like royalty right now, so what makes you think things will be better?"

Scott suddenly snorted, catching everyone off guard. "The only reason why we're seen as the rejects is because none of you made any attempt to get along with those guys," he countered, throwing an arm around Milo's shoulder, "Mark, you didn't join any club or team or whatever. What makes you think you will be part of the popular crowd? And Haley, with how combative you are all the time, I'm surprised you didn't scare the entire social justice club away."

Mark and Haley gaped at Scott with their jaws dropped open, shocked that the happy-go-lucky teen would turn on them so quickly. "You know, being part of the marching band means I get to see those jocks in action. I've performed with the guys at soccer, basketball, football, you name it," Scott listed off, dramatically lifting a finger at each sport he named, "If there's one thing all those jocks love, it's attention. So just slather on the charm, flatter them to death, and everything will be fine. If you do that, I guarantee you'll be in the popular crowd within a week."

"Scott, I'm not joining the baseball team to be popular. I just want to fit in while doing something I love," Milo insisted, struggling to push Scott's arm away, "I almost had a fight with Yoshi last night over this. What makes you think I'm this shallow?"

"And even if Milo is joining a sports team to be popular, it's not like you have anything to offer," Haley retorted, "If you do, then you'd be sitting with those idiots at the other tables instead of here. I doubt you're as popular as you think, Scott."

"Hey, give me some credit. I know what I'm doing," Scott persisted, taking in an exaggerated deep breath, "Once I figure this all out, Milo will be awesome in no time."

Mark could only shake his head at his younger brother's attitude. Turning back to Milo, he asked, "Speaking of Yoshi, does he know about what happened with the hazing thing? And did you tell your parents about it as well?"

Milo nodded. "All three of them know I got hit, and so do a few Smashers," he answered, "But only Yoshi knows about the hazing, and even then it's only a bit. I made him promise not to tell the others. My parents already caused a scene by confronting the athletic directors. If the school finds out I'm making a fuss, I'll be the most hated kid here."

Before Mark and Haley could admonish Milo for refusing to tell Brendan, Ashley, and the Smashers about the bullying, Scott cut in with his own thoughts. "That's how it's done, Milo. The last thing you want is to be hated, so why would you even think about doing something like that?" he declared, throwing his arm on Milo's shoulder again.

"Alright, fine," Milo sighed, partially in defeat but also because he just wanted the cross-examination from Mark and Haley to end. Liked it or not, those jocks were about to become his teammates, and it was better to stay in their good books. "I'm going to see if I can continue with baseball after school," he described, "I think the coaches are just letting me do light drills if I can't go full. I just hope this won't make them want to cut me quicker." With that, Milo picked up the remains of his lunch, stuffed them into his bag, and trotted off.

* * *

"Just take it easy today, Sullivan. Just focus on running and maybe a couple of fielding drills, but no hitting," the coach informed Milo as various players hit the baseball diamond. That left Milo sitting in the bench, watching all his potential teammates doing stretches and warm-ups. If it wasn't for the lingering pain on his ribs, Milo swore he would give it his all today.

Some obnoxious laughter to the side of the field caught Milo's attention. The former orphan turned his head to the right and saw the varsity team take the diamond on the far side of the field. The players strutted into position like peacocks showing their fans, their chests stuck out proud while their noses pointed slightly upward. Even for those who weren't on a sports team, they would know that these were the big men on campus.

The sight of the varsity team was enough to make Milo's side throb again. Despite what he had told Yoshi, his parents, his friends, and the Smashers, Milo knew exactly why he took a pitch to the ribs. Like Mark said, there was an initiation for all newbies trying out for junior varsity. Even without Mark telling him, Milo had already heard about these stories from Richie and Willis, who went through similar humiliating events in soccer. "It was soccer who started this first," Milo recalled to himself, "And all the other teams just picked up on it."

Milo gingerly stepped onto the field and joined the rest of the junior varsity tryouts in warming up. It certainly didn't help that Milo came into the school with his status as a former orphan pretty much public, given how the operation to take out the street gang was headline news at the time. Add to the fact that Milo was adopted by Brendan and Ashley, two respected members of the community, and Milo's history was an open book to the school. As Milo picked a corner of the field where he could do his warm-up by his lonesome, there was no doubt that part of the reason he got plunked first was his orphan status.

"Hey, ball boy. Start getting those balls over here!" one of the varsity members called in a loud and obnoxious voice. Milo glanced over in the middle of an arm stretch and saw a boy rushing over with several sports bags. The boy, Sean Cunningham, was probably the only person on the field who was as big an outcast as Milo was. Just like Milo, Sean was a freshman, had dirty blond hair, and was of a relative small stature. But unfortunately, Sean's reputation as the biggest klutz of the school served the same purpose as Milo's orphan status. It made Sean, like Milo and his friends, a rather unpopular figure in the student body.

"And while you're at it, get us the bats and gloves," another varsity team member ordered Sean. Milo shook his head in disgust at the way Sean was treated, almost like a servant or lackey of those jocks. Sean was in charge of equipment for both varsity and junior varsity, meaning he had to run back and forth between the two teams. The fact that varsity completely monopolized Sean wasn't just unfair for Sean, but also unfair for junior varsity. Did being on the top of the social hierarchy mean they could stop caring about others' needs?

"Alright team, let's get going on the drills. Sullivan, just stay there and we'll get to you," one of the coaches shouted. Milo nodded back at the team now moving on without him, leaving him alone at his area. It left Milo standing awkwardly on the field, his attention still on Sean, who struggled to get all the equipment set up. It was then that Milo decided to go over to help out. It was the least he could do after how badly Sean was treated.

Milo could barely take more than a few steps before Sean hustled over to the junior varsity field with another two bags of equipment. Just when Sean arrived at their field, the equipment manager tripped and fell flat on his face, causing balls, bats, and gloves to tumble out of the bags. But what shocked Milo more was the reaction of the varsity team, who proceeded to point and giggle at Sean. Feeling he had enough, Milo ignored all the derision and marched right in. "Let me help you with that," Milo offered, picking up some of the equipment.

"Thanks, Milo," Sean stuttered, organizing some of the items, "You don't have to put them back in the bags. You guys will be using that for practice anyway. Well, not you, since you're injured right now, but you know what I mean."

Milo gave Sean a strange look, surprised that Sean had even less confidence than Milo did. "You don't have to let them pick on you like that, you know," he suggested, grabbing a couple of gloves, "Why did you let them make fun of you like that?"

Sean gave Milo an exasperated look. "You know what it's like in that position, Milo," Sean replied, his voice lowering to a murmur, "When you got the tough customers doing their thing, there's not much you can do other than go along with it. A few words here or there from those guys and my next three years of high school will be miserable."

"Now you know how I felt yesterday when those guys were throwing at me during batting practice," Milo retorted, picking up a few more items before walking Sean over to the junior varsity field, "But you're in a better spot than me. Isn't your sister the student body president? A couple of words from her and I bet the jocks will shut up on the spot."

Sean gave Milo an uncertain look. It was true that Sean's older sister, a junior named Cassandra, was elected student body president. Sitting on various administrative councils and being in charge of funding and budgeting were among her duties. It was no secret to jocks and others alike that if Cassandra didn't like it, she could cut the funding to certain groups and leave them in the dust. It basically made Sean immune from bullying, as bullies feared that it would put them in Cassandra's bad books. "All you have to do is tell your sister what those jocks are doing, and it'll be game over for them," Milo added.

"I know, but how bad does that look for me? They'll just say I'm sucking up to my sister and that I'm using her," Sean countered, "I want to make it because of me, not my sister. I don't want to be forever remembered as Cassandra's little brother, you know?"

"I guess it's like what's going on with Yoshi and me," Milo muttered. Together, they handed out the equipment to the junior varsity team in silence. Being popular wasn't the most important goal for Milo. He went through much worse than being knocked down on the social hierarchy. At least none of those jocks ever lived in the sewers, so nothing they did could hurt Milo. However, Milo also didn't want to be anti-social and seen as an outcast. He had many goals in life, including giving back to the orphanage he stayed in before. If he could convince even some of these people to get involved, it would make him very happy.

"But what did your cousin say about this though?" Sean demanded, taking the empty equipment bags back to the dugout and beckoning Milo to follow, "Did he send in his whole team of Smashers? If he does that, all the varsity guys on every team will be against you."

"That's exactly what Yoshi wanted to do. Right after my dad told Yoshi I was in the trainer's room, Yoshi brought four other Smashers to the school," Milo informed Sean, "I told Yoshi about this hazing thing, but I made him promise to let me handle it on my own."

Before either boy could say another word, one of the assistant coaches approached Milo and took him to the field. They insisted that the former orphan focused on outfield fielding drills and running down fly balls. Given Brendan was an outfielder when he was playing, Milo could end up playing the same position his father played all those years back. "How cool would that be?" he pondered to himself while taking his position.

Before long, Milo was so absorbed in his fielding drills that he forgot about the issues with the varsity team and the other bullies at school. Milo concentrated on the balls hit his way, maneuvering in the outfield with ease while making the catches look easy. Sure he still had some issues with lifting his left arm due to the rib bruises, and he knew he could work on making the runs in the outfield smoother and easier, but at least Milo knew he was off to a good start. Once his ribs felt better, he could start hitting again, and finally proved that he belonged on that team.

"Batter up, guys!" a loud voice hollered, cutting Milo's concentration from the field. He glanced around and saw the sun dipping to the west. Practice was almost over, which meant the part Milo dreaded the most was about to occur. The varsity players paraded over to the junior varsity tryouts and insisted on pitching to them for batting practice. This was when Milo got drilled in the ribs last practice, and Milo shuddered to think who would get hit next.

It didn't take long before errant pitches sailed in unpredictable directions. Junior varsity hitters danced, ducked, dodged, and dove away from pitches headed for various parts of their bodies, all the while the varsity players giggled like a bunch of chimps. It was even worse than what happened yesterday, and it got the cheerful Milo into a rage. "Guys, what are you doing?" he yelled, hustling across the field, "Are you trying to get these players killed?"

Unfortunately, Milo was completely ignored. With the varsity team continuing their crazy throws, it resembled a circus more than a baseball diamond. Milo's darted around the field, hoping for someone to assist him. Yet to his horror, there were no adults or supervisors anywhere nearby. "Where on earth are all the coaches?" he shouted exasperatedly.

* * *

So if you haven't caught on already, here are the basic background info:

1.) The orphans are named Milo Sullivan, Mark Kerry, Scott Kerry, and Haley Palmer. Milo is the only one to keep his old last name because Yoshi doesn't have a last name.

2.) Mark, Scott, and Haley, if you haven't guessed already, are modeled after Mako, Bolin, and Korra from the Avatar Korra series. I actually imagined them speaking in the voices of David Faustino, P.J. Byrne, and Janet Varney!

3.) Milo and his buddies used to be in a street gang after running away from the orphanage. They had a change of heart and returned (mainly thanks to Yoshi), and were ultimately adopted. Life in the street gang is way tougher than school, so Milo doesn't really care for all this popularity jazz. His ultimate goal is to fit in and convince the student body to help him give back to the orphanage that took care of him.

I understand the sheer amount of info may slow the pace of this opening chapter a bit, and I do apologize if it feels a bit dry and boring. However, I will have things pick up soon, so please bear with me. Thanks for reading and see you next chapter!


	2. People You Can Trust

I want to thank **Cody the Pikachu** and **Kelev** for reviewing the last chapter. I want to give a give shut-out to these 2 as well as **Kelev**'s daughter Hannah (AKA the tri-racial baby air bender), because they are all celebrating their birthdays. It's really amazing how they have their birthdays all within a 2-week span of each other, so I wish them all well and that they enjoy this fantastic time with their families.

On the topic of families, you're going to see in this chapter Milo relating to his family, mainly Yoshi. I still intend to put in the Smashers in a larger role in future chapters, but I feel it's more important to set the family dynamics and other background issues first. Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Nintendo owns Super Smash Bros. I own Milo Sullivan, his parents, his friends, and all other OC's in this story.

* * *

After a terrible experience in baseball practice yesterday, Milo did not want to socialize with anyone but his fellow orphans. Sitting in their usual corner of the cafeteria, Milo made no eye or verbal contact with any other student. His corner of the cafeteria might be branded as the outcasts and rejects corner, but at least Milo could get some peace and quiet to himself.

"Milo, you still there?" Haley's voice snapped Milo to attention. The ball cap wearing boy looked up to see the tan-skinned girl staring at him with a concerned expression. "I was just asking if you got the Smashers involved in our music night yet. Have you heard from them?"

"Uh, yeah," Milo muttered, rubbing his face in fatigue. Milo had to tiptoe around his parents all night, just to avoid the topic of the varsity team intentionally throwing at the junior varsity tryouts. "Yoshi called me and said the Smashers are in. He told me he'll drop by after school to talk about what we want to do, so if you guys are free, let's try and meet up with him."

"I think we can meet up with him," Haley responded, whipping out her notebook and checking her schedule, "Is Yoshi coming to the school? And what about your baseball practice?"

Milo winced, worried that Haley was approaching taboo territory. He did not want Haley and anyone else to know about what happened yesterday, so the less they discussed this issue, the better. "Well, I think I can manage," Milo eked out, rubbing the back of his neck, "I can always tell the coaches I have to leave early, right?"

"And leaving early isn't exactly a bad thing, because you're afraid you'll be nailed in the ribs again, right?" Mark retorted, pointed his fork accusingly at Milo, "There was another one of those hazing events at yesterday's practice, wasn't there? How many are hurt this time?"

Before Milo could protest, Mark continued, "It's the perks of being a sophomore that I get in on a lot more gossip. The varsity team appeared again yesterday, targeting everyone else who didn't get hit last time, and the junior varsity guys got terrorized. Is that remotely accurate?"

Milo immediately tapped his lips with his index finger. "Mark, seriously," he whispered, "I don't want to make a fuss about it. Can we just drop the topic already?"

"The question I have is this: where were you during this whole time?" Mark challenged, slamming down his fork and crossing his arms, "Weren't you at practice yesterday? How can you tell me you didn't see any of that? And if you were there, why didn't you stop them?"

"That's kind of out of character for you, isn't it?" Haley chimed in, leaning closer and narrowing her eyes, "When we were still in that street gang, you inspired most of us to drop out. You were really brave back then, so what happened now? Why can't you stand up to the jerks?"

The comment got Milo to freeze and think. Why did he refuse to speak up, even though he had done it before? He recalled when he was still part of the street gang, he went through a similar terrifying experience, where he was alone and confused. He wanted to stay loyal to the orphans, but he also realized that there was a chance for him to do the right thing. Yoshi and the Smashers were there to encourage him the whole way, making Milo more determined not to break their hearts. Now, with a similar situation, what was stopping him from doing the same?

"Hey, can you stop nagging on Mio for a second here?" Scott interrupted, throwing his arm around Milo's shoulder again, "Maybe Milo just wants to befriend some of those guys, so that we won't all be rejects in the future. After all, better to make a friend than an enemy, right?"

"Scott, if someone is throwing a baseball at high speed aiming straight for my head, I don't know if I'll call them a friend anytime soon," Mark replied, shooting Scott an unimpressed look. Mark felt his brother was letting his fun-loving nature override the more important priority of surviving. "I think we should do what Yoshi did and just fight off these guys if need be."

"Mark, are you crazy? You can't possibly fight all those guys!" Milo exclaimed, waving his arms in protest, "Look, I know things are getting bad, but until we can get everyone to stop seeing us as rejects, there's not much we can do. So can we all just calm down?"

"Don't look now, but your baseball buddies are here," Haley pointed out. Milo turned his head around and saw several varsity baseball players marching his way. They were being their usual loud and obnoxious selves, laughing at nothing funny in particular and making snide remarks about everyone around them. He saw Mick, the varsity baseball captain approach another table and high-five someone there. Judging from the sports jacket that person wore, Milo figured it was Ralph, the captain of the varsity soccer team.

"They're coming straight at us. Don't bring any attention to ourselves," Milo suggested, spinning his ball cap so that the bill was back to the front. He pulled down on the bill and lowered his head. If there was one person Milo was wearier of than Mick, it was Ralph. From what Richie and Willis told Milo, the varsity soccer team came up with all the hazing and initiation schemes in school history. Every year, initiation was planned by the varsity soccer team, with all the other teams chipping in and following suit. Secretly, Milo hoped he did not have to be like Richie and Willis and considered quitting the team as a result.

Unfortunately, Milo's wish was short-lived. The varsity guys noticed his table and strutted their way over. "Well, who do we have here? The biggest group of rejects in the school, all seated at one table," Mick declared, causing a wave of laughter from the others.

Milo tried his best to ignore those guys, but glancing around the table he could see Mark and Haley were running out of patience. Haley's fists clenched and unclenched several times, while Mark's eyebrows squeezed into indescribable shapes. "So I heard Sullivan here went above and beyond our expectations yesterday," Greg, the alternate captain of the varsity baseball team taunted, "We thought ducking like a sissy was enough, but he actually ran around the field screaming for help. What's the matter, Coach's Pet? Is the coach not there to give you a hug?" he belted out, eliciting a round of laughter from the rest of the team.

Milo squeezed his eyes shut, hoping the taunting would just stop. From across his seat, Milo could hear Mark growl under his breath. Knowing how volcanic Mark and Haley could be, a fight was inevitable. Milo could only hope that the varsity players could take a hint and cease their taunting, or else someone was about to walk away with a broken nose.

Yet to Milo's surprise, it was Scott who got the first word in. "Hey guys, chill out!" he stated cheerfully. Milo glanced up to see Scott on his feet, throwing an arm around Mick and grinning like a lunatic. "Did you know that Milo's cooler than you give him credit for? He once took on an entire street gang and won, without even throwing a punch!"

"He's talking about us again, and half of that isn't even true," Mark murmured, shaking his head in disgust. Getting on his feet, he grabbed his brother's hand and tried to pull him back. "Scott, just let it go, alright? I don't think they're impressed and I doubt you can help Milo."

"But Milo can help these guys," Scott continued, belting out each word like a late-night comedian, "Milo's dad played professional baseball before, and can hit for average and play good defence. If you're nice to Milo, maybe Milo will convince his dad to give you some tips!"

"Scott, there's no way you're getting anywhere with these guys right now," Haley commented with a frown, "Just sit down before you make it worse."

Scott continued his routine, either wilfully ignoring his friends or totally oblivious to their concerns. "All you have to do is let us in on your little posse, and Milo will loan his dad to you guys free of charge," Scott offered, "Sounds like a good deal, doesn't it?"

Mick returned an equally large grin, but it did not take a genius to figure out that it was sinister. "You want in on our group? No problem!" the captain with the buzzcut hair exclaimed, bringing Scott away from the orphans' table. Mark and Haley tried to leap to Scott's defence, only to be blocked by Greg and the other varsity players. Then, the orphans could only watch in horror as Mick brought Scott to the table where Ralph was seated. "Why don't we show you what the big people on campus do to welcome you into our group?"

To everyone's horror, the two varsity captains reached into Scott's pants and gripped the waistband of Scott's underwear. They yanked the fabric up as hard as possible, causing Scott to emit a bloodcurdling scream. Then, with Scott's underwear no longer under his clothes, the two captains hoisted Scott over to the closest trash can. "Here's your baptism for becoming a big man on campus," Ralph, the auburn-haired soccer captain, announced, "Enjoy the ride!"

The two captains dumped Scott head-first into the garbage, leaving him flailing his legs helplessly while the entire student body pointed and giggled. Mark could only shield his face as he hurried over to the trash can, grabbing Scott's legs and trying to yank his brother out. With the jocks marching off like heroes, Mark could only pay attention to Scott's muffled cries from inside the trash can, wondering what his brother did to deserve this humiliation.

* * *

"The way you're walking isn't exactly hiding what happened in the cafeteria today, you know," Mark commented as Scott limped down the stairs towards the basement of the school. It was only a matter of time before the gossip went out to the entire school that Scott was subject to a wedgie, followed by being dumped headfirst into a garbage can. To no one's surprise, the two varsity captains were worshipped for putting an outcast in his place, while Mark and Scott were on the receiving end of people's snickers and sneers.

"Hey, give me a break, alright?" Scott retorted, heading away from the main hall and into the band room. He still had to get his instrument before meeting up with Haley and Milo near the baseball field, where Yoshi was to arrive later on. "I figure that it's better to befriend those guys than to make them our enemies. No point in breaking noses or losing teeth over them, right?"

"You didn't break any noses or made people lose teeth, but your underwear got destroyed pretty good, not to mention you reeked to high heaven," Mark snapped, leaning against the doorframe of the band room while Scott searched for his instrument, "Had I not sent you to the showers after that, I doubt any of your afternoon teachers would want you in their class."

"Is that how you think of me now, Mark? I'm truly hurt," Scott replied sarcastically, doing a dramatic disappointed pose before yanking a dark case from the pile, "So what do you think will happen to Milo today at baseball practice?"

"Based on what I saw at the cafeteria, they'll probably target him twice as much," Mark analyzed, tapping his chin with a fingerless-gloved hand. Both Milo and Mark wore similar dark open-fingered gloves, relics left behind from when they were still in the street gang. Even though both boys were out of the sewers and into proper homes, neither saw the need to stop wearing the gloves. "Good thing he's leaving early today, meaning he won't spend as much time near those jocks. I just hope they don't hit Milo with Yoshi around, or else there will be bloodshed."

As the brothers exited the band room and headed in the direction of the athletics office, Mark thought about everything that led them to here. They obviously had difficulty fitting in at first, given it was the first time they were attending a normal school. Social interaction was not something that came naturally for them, since the only interaction required when they lived in the sewers was anything that could keep them alive. There was definitely a steep learning curve for these orphans in this high school environment.

Unfortunately, the more the orphans stayed here, the more it felt like they had to resort to fight-or-flight syndrome. Even though their lives were not in danger, the psychological effect the student body had on them really affected their thinking. The strict social hierarchy and the nonstop gossip really made life difficult, and it didn't take long before the orphans were branded as outcasts. And with the varsity teams engaging in hazing, Milo being used for target practice, and Scott being dumped into the trash, high school was comparable to the sewers.

"Hey, there they are," Scott pointed out, snapping Mark back to attention. Indeed, standing before them were Haley and Milo, with Milo still in his baseball uniform. Immediately Mark raced up to Milo and gave him a quick scan, relieved to see that the youngest of the four orphans wasn't physically injured. "How's practice today, Milo?" Scott asked.

"I didn't get beaned by any stray pitches. But the varsity guys had their eyes on me the whole time, so it didn't make things easy," Milo reported, rubbing the back of his head nervously. It only got an angry growl from Haley, who cracked her right knuckles in her left hand. After what Scott went through today, she was out for blood.

Milo took one glance around and knew things were souring by the second. Once Mark and Haley had their volcanic natures going, it would take a minor miracle just to stop that. Mark was fiercely protective of Scott during their time in the sewers, and wouldn't let their former leader even approach Scott. As for Haley, years in the sewers and the orphanage made her tough as nails, and no doubt her adoptive parents also influenced that trait. Knowing how the bullying had gotten worse recently, Milo knew it was only a matter of time before an eruption occurred.

The bad news only continued for Milo when Yoshi greeted them without warning. Milo nearly had his heart pop out from his ribcage when the young dinosaur informed them that he heard a bit of what was said. "Are those guys picking on you again, Milo?" Yoshi demanded, his usually large eyes now narrowing, "I did warn you about it, didn't I? What happened today?"

Mark and Haley shot off the entire story before Milo could even get a word in. From Scott's misadventure, to the name-calling on Milo, and even the attempted targeting of today's baseball practice, there wasn't a thing that Mark and Haley left out. It only got Yoshi looking more and more disgusted by the second. "I've heard of hazing and initiation, but this is going too far!" Yoshi exclaimed, whipping around to face Milo, "You've got to tell someone about this."

Milo winced, not wanting to get into another debate with Yoshi about these incidents. While Milo was aware that things were getting more severe, he still felt there was a way to deal with it on his own. "It's just the first try, Yoshi," the baseball player assured his cousin, "I don't think it's fair that we give up on this so quickly. Maybe Scott messed up a bit…"

"Milo, the only thing that's messed up are the minds of those idiots," Mark interjected, waving a finger in righteous indignation, "Any jerk who throws my brother in a trash can for their amusement is sick in the head, and there's nothing you can say to change my mind."

"And if they're willing to do that to Scott, who only tried to strike up a friendly talk with them, what do you think they can do to you?" Haley challenged, balled fists planted firmly on her hips, "They'll only humiliate you more on that baseball field, Milo."

"But think what will happen if I go against them openly," Milo countered, "They'll do even worse things to me if I openly challenge them, if what they did to Scott was any indication. I don't think taking them head-on is the way to go, so let me figure this out and we'll be fine. Don't forget I'm around these guys, so I know what makes them tick."

"But you realize why you should tell someone, right?" Yoshi asked Milo. The dinosaur softened his facial expression, but concern was still plastered on his face. "If you tell someone, then at least you have something to fall back on if your options fail. Is there anyone in this school that you trust that you can give this information to at all?"

Milo thought about this carefully. There was one person that he confided in regularly, and he was booked to a meeting with the individual later on this week. Given this person had some ties to the athletics department, maybe informing him of these details might not be a bad thing. "I still don't think it's the best move, but if you insist, then I'll do it," he responded to Yoshi.

"It's all I ask for, Milo," Yoshi responded, putting a hand on his cousin's shoulder. He had cared about Milo since the day they first met, with Yoshi putting all his trust in the human boy in doing the right thing. Each time Yoshi gave Milo a chance, Milo came through not just for Yoshi, but for everyone involved. Now, with three other orphans on the line, Yoshi could only hope that Milo's actions wouldn't break their hearts.

Shaking his head a few times, Yoshi returned to the topic at hand. "Let's talk about your orphanage concert," he suggested, "Milo told me about it, and I told the Smashers. Most of them are interested in getting involved. What do you guys have in mind?"

Before long, the discussion transformed from stopping the jocks to planning the event at the orphanage. The four orphans and the one Smasher took their discussion outside and onto an empty picnic table, exchanging notes and sharing ideas. The main goal was to allow those still in the orphanage to enjoy the show, and the activities mainly included various musical and theatre acts. Scott was still trying to convince the band to send some performers, while Haley wanted the social justice club to help with the logistics. But with neither side making much progress, it felt like the project was solely in the hands of Milo, his friends, and the Smashers.

"I just don't think it's fair that these clubs act like they're all big people in the school, but they don't care about anyone else outside of their group," Mark commented, giving his forehead a stressed rubbing, "We are doing this for a good cause, and those guys will get a chance to perform. It will be win-win, so why are they still not getting involved?"

"There's no use dwelling on it, Mark," Milo replied, shuffling his papers before slipping them back into his bag, "We just have to do what we have to and get this project off the ground. If the others don't want to help us, then we'll do it on our own. Like you said, this is for a good cause. It will definitely be worth doing if we can make those kids' lives better." With that, the group ended their meeting, cautiously optimistic about what would transpire in the near future.

* * *

"I've already talked to Milo, and he said he'll find someone who he can trust to report these incidents to," Yoshi informed his uncle and aunt via telephone. It was evening at the Smash Mansion, and Yoshi was in his room organizing some of the information Milo and the orphans gave him. Now that he had a better idea what the task at hand was, Yoshi could better coordinate the efforts, including those with his uncle and aunt. "Right now, Milo and his friends just want to focus on getting this project off the ground, and that's where you guys come in," Yoshi reported.

"That's great and all, and Milo did tell us he wanted us involved," Brendan replied on the other line, "But I'm still worried about what's going on at school. It seems to me he's not telling us the full story. Did he tell you who this person he trusts is, and what he'll report to them?"

"He hasn't, but I think I have some idea who it may be. If I remember correctly, every kid who has been adopted goes through a process where a social worker or a counsellor talks to them to make sure they're fitting in, right? Does Milo get one of those at school, where the school counsellor works with child social services to ensure everything gets reported?" Yoshi asked, twirling a pen in his hand, "If there is a school counsellor who does that job, then I can see this issue getting resolved in the school, without police or lawyer involvement."

"Well, we do have reports from the school counsellor, and they come in conjunction with the report from child social services," Ashley recalled, "But other than the usual trying to do well in school or getting used to normal social interactions, we didn't hear anything about Milo being bullied or anything. We asked him further, but Milo kept saying he can handle it himself."

"It's not an easy situation for us either, Yoshi," Brendan added, his voice fatigued and void of energy, "Milo is entering his teen years, and it's only right we give him some personal space. If Milo doesn't even get some leeway to do his own thing, then he won't make it very far in life. Besides, with the way Milo's life history went, having been orphaned and living in the sewers with a street gang, I can understand why it'll be harder for him to trust people. That's why your aunt and I are doing everything we can to earn his trust. The results are good so far, and we want to keep it that way by giving Milo some autonomy."

Yoshi rubbed his eyes. Several thoughts swirled in his head so far, and nothing seemed to be coming together. "I get what you're saying, but I don't think this is the best way to go," Yoshi responded, holding his phone closer to his face, "If Milo can't figure something out that works for him, then more bad things will happen to him. He's going to school getting his butt kicked every day, nobody there gives a hoot about his priorities, and nothing works for him. I get that he has to fit in, but if the environment there is toxic, then what do we do?"

"We're all monitoring the situation, Yoshi," Ashley answered, his voice soothing but still tense, "We all care about Milo and want the best for him. Right now we have to balance between helping him and becoming overprotective. If Milo has some ideas at the moment, then let's let him decide for himself. The most we can do is offer encouragement and advice. Everything is in Milo's hands, and how he chooses to deal with the problem is up to him."

"I hope, for everyone's sake, Milo makes the right decision and gets out of the downward spiral that he's in," Yoshi muttered, rubbing his eyelids again, "Anyway, I'll update the rest of the guys about the orphanage thing. Once we have more details, we'll chat again to see who can do what. Thanks for everything, you guys."

After Yoshi hung up, he emitted a huge sigh before getting back to his planning. Milo and his friends put a lot of effort into this project, even when no one at the school even batted an eye at them. The school's teams and clubs had the money, time, and resources to do something for a good cause. Even if those groups were only doing it for their reputations, at least the end result was that something good came out of it. So for the school to completely shun Milo and ignore his project, Yoshi could understand why Milo's friends were frustrated.

At the same time, Yoshi admired Milo's courage, which he saw firsthand when he first met Milo. Back then, Milo tried so hard to convince the orphans to no longer follow their leader and stopped the illegal activities. Now, even though Milo made no headway in dealing with the allegations of bullying, he still tried to do everything in his power to make orphans' lives better. Maybe Yoshi didn't give Milo enough credit, as it took a lot of bravery to continue this task while facing intense bullying. "Instead of encouraging him further, I only further questioned his courage," Yoshi admonished himself, "I got to make sure Milo knows I'm still on his side."

"Why are you mumbling to yourself, Yoshi?" a voice called from Yoshi's doorway. The young dinosaur turned to see his best friend, Mario, leaning on the doorframe. "It seems like you are really deep in thought or something. Is everything alright?"

Yoshi cracked a smile at the sight of his friend. Waving the plumber into the room, he gave Mario his seat on the chair he was on while he moved to the bed. "Mario, you remember what happened with Milo, right?" Milo asked, "I got a call from my uncle saying that Milo was being thrown at intentionally, and a bunch of guys went with me to the school?"

Mario nodded, prompting Yoshi to go on. The young dinosaur was careful not to reveal any details Milo told him about, opting to go with general terms and big ideas. Yoshi described that Milo might be having trouble fitting in, and how the planning of the orphanage event wasn't going as well as planned. Yoshi felt Milo didn't want to let the orphans down, but couldn't go at it alone. "That's why I wanted us to get involved, so we can help him out," Yoshi added, "Do you have any ideas as to how we can best help Milo?"

Mario scratched his chin. "I see what you mean, Yoshi. Fitting in can be a problem, especially if the student body isn't particularly receptive to those from different backgrounds," the plumber commented, "I remember when we first came together for Super Smash Bros for the first time, it took a while before we all warmed up to each other. Now you and I, along with many of the original people, are back for the fourth time, things are working out much better. Maybe it's just a matter of time before Milo finally makes a crack?"

"That's the hope for sure, but if the student body isn't receptive, then to me it seems like a waste of time," Yoshi responded, crossing his arms and rocking his body back and forth, "It's not like Milo and his friends are purposely isolating themselves either. Milo is trying out for a sports team, while a couple of his friends are in the social justice club and band, respectively. It's just that even within these clubs they aren't really seen as being part of the group. How can you fit in when the people you're fitting in with don't even want to talk to you?"

"And we all know what happens when gossip gets around," Mario added, "Slander and false accusations can be a serious matter, and people's lives can be ruined all because some gossipy busybody decides to mouth off on someone. And if gets online or on social networks, it will only be a matter of time before the targeted person becomes really traumatized."

"Isn't there anything anyone can do to deal with this problem?" Yoshi openly mused, tilting his laptop towards him. He flipped the top open and promptly logged onto the internet. "There's got to be some way to stop people from doing this. I've read in the news that some people ended up taking their own lives because they were slandered ruthlessly. I'm sure there has to be something Milo can do if this happens to him and his friends."

"Well, I'm no lawyer, so I'm probably the last person who can help you with that," Mario responded. He slipped out of the chair and headed back to the door, wielding the workspace back to Yoshi, "But I'm sure there are cases where action has been taken by victims or their parents against bullying or hazing or defamation. Try doing a quick search and see what you can come up with. Then if you see Milo again, you can give these examples to him as options."

Yoshi waved Mario goodbye, requesting the plumber closed the door behind him as the dinosaur returned to the laptop screen. A quick scroll over the front search page and some of those stories were enough to make Yoshi sick. Two cases from Canada really caught Yoshi's eye, with both victims being girls in their mid-teens. Both were subject to incredible slander and defamation online, and both ended up committing suicide as a result. The police could not do much about the deaths due to insufficient evidence to lay charges on anyone. Based on those chilling stories alone, Yoshi could only hope the same wouldn't happen to Milo.

At the same time, Yoshi wondered if the lack of evidence was part of the reason why Milo couldn't really do much. Other than being nailed on the ribs, Milo had no physical evidence to show there was hazing or bullying in his school. While Scott was dumped into the trash can in the presence of the entire cafeteria, how many of those people would speak up against this? With the event likely turning into a "he said, she said" situation, Milo was pretty much cornered.

After a few more searches, Yoshi turned off his laptop and went to bed. Much as he wanted to help his cousin, Yoshi realized that he was still in the dark about many things. "If only I can get Milo to talk more," he murmured before flicking out the lights. Much as Yoshi hated to admit it, there was just not enough information for Yoshi to make any move right now.

* * *

"So Milo, what updates do you have for me today?" Mr. Felton, one of the school counsellors, questioned the ball cap wearing boy. The monotonous words and uncaring gaze from the short, balding man really got on Milo's nerves. From his nonchalant attitude towards Milo's needs, to his frowns whenever Milo touched upon issues he didn't like, to even the sad excuse of a moustache that Milo compared to peach fuzz, nothing about Felton came across to Milo as impressive. Why did the school assign this pathetic excuse of a human being to Milo?

Oh right, Milo almost forgot. Due to the school's large student population, the only way counsellors could be assigned was via alphabetical order. Instead of assigning counsellors based on student needs and specialties, this incredibly bureaucratic method of doing things meant Milo was stuck with someone he didn't particularly like. And given Milo's special case of being an adoptee, child social services had an interest in Milo's school progress, which meant regular lunch-hour meetings with Felton. So until child social services were convinced Milo adjusted well enough to regular life, Felton would be stuck on him like glue.

"Well, Mr. Felton, there are a couple of issues I want to talk about," Milo began, one hand rubbing his forehead. The one advantage Milo had with Felton was that Felton was friends with many of the school's athletic directors, as he was often seen having lunch with the athletics department. If Milo could explain to Felton about the school bullying and hazing rituals, maybe Felton could speak up for him in front of the athletic directors. "I am trying out for the junior varsity baseball team, and we ran into a couple of…"

"Oh, the baseball team," Felton exclaimed, "I know what team sports are like. In fact, I'm one of the assistant coaches for the varsity basketball team…" The short, balding man trailed off on how he had to encourage teamwork and team spirit on the basketball team, claiming it was a strong incentive for personal growth and maturity. Milo could only rub his cheeks and grit his teeth, hoping this moron would just shut his mouth and let him continue. It was rather hard to get to the point when all Felton talked about was establishing camaraderie and relationships.

"Yeah, I bet those relationships don't involve throwing things at each other at high speed, or throwing each other into stinking piles of trash. Oh wait, they only do it to people who aren't seen to be as cool as the team. Silly me!" Milo murmured to himself. He flashed a grin back at Felton just when the counsellor ended his tangent. If Milo reported the hazing he saw from the baseball team or the bullying the soccer team did to Scott, he wondered what Felton might say to him. Would he just tell Milo and Scott to suck it up?

"But anyway, how's the baseball team doing?" Felton asked, either oblivious or ignoring the clear discomfort on Milo's face, "You realize that the varsity team is really doing well, right? I mean, we're talking about a team that should be well into the playoffs. I bet you want the junior varsity team to do just as well, even if you don't make it, right?"

"That's where my problem is," Milo stated with hesitance, "I don't know if I'll make it until first cuts are made, and since my ribs are kind of bruised, I'm scared it'll affect my performance on the field. Now, the varsity team has something to do with this, in that…"

"Well, the varsity team is very experienced, and you're looking at seasoned players who played years in our school and community leagues," Felton interjected, twirling his pen around his fingers. Milo barely held back a groan as Felton went into another tangent about how Milo could learn a lot about fitting in and showing school spirit by observing and socializing with the varsity team. Was this guy clueless or something? Most of these jocks wouldn't even give Milo and his fellow orphans the time of the day. Didn't he hear what they did to Scott?

"Mr. Felton, maybe I should clarify," Milo cut in, raising his hand to stop the guidance counsellor, "The varsity team is part of the reason I may be cut from the junior varsity team. You see, they barged into practice one day and insisted on pitching to us for batting practice. I was one of the first people up with a bat. The first pitch they threw was aimed right at my ribs, and now I have a bruise on my left side. That's not really good news for me, you know."

"Injuries happen all the time. You can't say the varsity team threw at you on purpose all because of an errant pitch," Felton countered, his expression slightly darkening. Milo knew he was on the ropes now, given Felton might see Milo's criticism as offensive against his athletic director friends. "Besides, injuries like bruises should heal quickly, so you'll be back on the field in no time. You can't blame an unfortunate event like this on the varsity guys, right?"

Milo took a deep breath. The main reason he didn't tell too many people about this incident was because of the backlash he might receive. Even though he questioned Sean's decision to not tell his sister Cassandra about the hazing, Milo himself was anything but brave in his own regard. His goal of wanting to fit in and getting people to help fight for his cause only served to put more pain on him and his friends. And even when he promised Yoshi that he would tell someone he trusted, Milo was still concerned about the impacts this would have on him. The dim lighting in the office did nothing to take the counsellor's narrowing eyes off him, and Milo truly felt like there was no remedy for him in this office.

Tightening his body like he was bracing for impact, Milo released the bombshell of Scott being dumped into the trash. "It was Mick, the varsity baseball captain, and Ralph, the varsity soccer captain, who did that to him," Milo described, recalling in vivid detail of how the younger Kerry brother tried to befriend those guys, only to get thrown into the garbage, "If that's what's happening, then I don't think we should let them off the hook."

"First off, you're not Scott. You shouldn't make a complaint on Scott's behalf. If he thinks this is important enough to warrant a further investigation, then maybe he should be here instead of you," Felton snapped, placing down his pen and glaring at Milo, "Second, whether anyone gets off the hook is subject to the school disciplinary committee's discretion, not yours. You don't have the right to request anything of that sort. Is that clear?"

Milo winced at the negative reaction. He was only reporting this incident and requesting that the teachers not let this go. With students being subject to physical assault, how could Felton react in anger towards Milo? "I'm not saying you should punish them. I'm just saying you guys should look into this further," Milo replied, brushing the strands of hair sticking out from under his ball cap, "What if another person gets hurt because of this?"

"When someone does get hurt, the school will investigate. But until then, I think you should have more faith in how we handle things," Felton snapped, that trademark frown now in full force against Milo, "You realize that a lack of trust in others is a symptom of you living too long under those sewers, right? If this is the way things are going, then I think you should get further counselling and coaching just to put you back on the right track. It's not a good sign when you've been in adopted for more than a year and you still can't adjust right. Now is there anything else you want to discuss or have me include in your report to social services?"

Milo pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut. "No, that's all I got," he hissed before grabbing his backpack and heading out the door. The meeting turned out worse than he expected, with the only source he could possibly rely on out the door. "I knew I should have never trusted him, given how close he is to those jocks," Milo muttered, closing Felton's door behind him. What made Milo think Felton would side with him over the jocks?

Stepping back through the narrow hallway that led him back to the main hall, Milo thought about everything that went down. Felton paid Milo's needs almost no mind, almost like he just wanted Milo out of the way. Each meeting Milo had with this man was mundane and insincere, making Milo feel he couldn't trust this individual. Given the social workers visiting his home and doing interviews with Brendan and Ashley had a job to do, the least Felton could do to help Milo was contribute his part. Milo couldn't even claim Felton's effort was half-hearted due to how uncaring he was, so how could Milo give a complete picture of his growth?

"Milo, what are you doing here?" a male voice called, snapping Milo to attention. Milo lifted his head to see Sean standing before him, having just stepped out from a side office. "Why are you in the office? Did you get in trouble or something?"

Milo shook his head. "I just had to meet with my counsellor, that's all," he replied meekly, hoping Sean would stop asking further questions. While he knew Sean was unlikely to gossip about him, Milo still wanted to keep that traumatizing visit in the house. "What about you?" he asked, changing to topic on the ball boy, "Why are you here?"

"This is the student body president's office," Sean replied, pointing at the nearest door, "I was visiting my sister. Let me introduce you." He stepped back in and waved to a girl sitting behind a large desk. The girl had similar hair colour as Sean, but wore neater and tidier clothes than the younger brother. "Cassandra, this is Milo from the junior varsity baseball team," Sean announced, "Milo, this is my sister Cassandra, the student body president."

* * *

After dinner was over, Milo plopped down on his bed and buried his head in his hands. Today's meeting with the counsellor didn't go well, and he wouldn't be surprised if the report that the social worker received was an equally big mess. With the varsity team targeting him again for the last practice before the first preseason game, Milo's week was officially ruined. "I'm just glad it's Friday tomorrow, and I can get some peace and quiet," he murmured.

Massaging his cheeks, Milo thought back to the only positive event that happened, which was when Sean introduced him to Cassandra. Even though she seemed intimidating sitting at that large desk, Cassandra was very open and friendly. She had an air of authority about her that was enough to strike fear into even the toughest jocks, but also showed kindness and compassion with a willingness to listen to different opinions. It was evident that if Milo wanted anything done about the hazing and bullying, Cassandra was the most effective way to go.

"Milo, you free?" Yoshi's voice asked from the direction of the doorway. Milo looked up to see his cousin twirling his cellphone in his hands. "I did some research last night on issues about bullying and I want to share my findings with you. Do you have a minute?"

Milo waved in his dinosaur cousin while sitting back up straight. Yoshi took a seat on the chair at Milo's desk, staring back at Milo with a soft expression. "I want to start by apologizing to you, Milo," Yoshi stated, much to Milo's surprise, "I realize I haven't been a very good cousin by questioning your courage and forcing you to move too quickly on this. Instead, I should have supported and encouraged you, and for failing to do that I hope you can forgive me."

Milo's jaw dropped open before clamming shut again. While he did find Yoshi's nonstop pestering of him a bit irksome, Milo never accused Yoshi of pushing his buttons or pressuring him against his will. If anything, Milo still trusted Yoshi a lot because of what Yoshi did. "You don't have to apologize, Yoshi," Milo stuttered, "You didn't do anything wrong."

"Well, I feel I could have been more supportive rather than questioning your methods in dealing with the bullies," Yoshi replied, placing a hand on Milo's shoulder, "While I still don't agree with you giving these guys so many chances, I feel I should trust you a bit more and let you try out as many methods as you come up with first. I have no explanation for my actions other than overprotectiveness and for that I ask for your forgiveness."

"It's fine, Yoshi. And thanks for your support," Milo responded. With that, the two cousins pulled each other into a tight embrace. It was good for Milo to know that in these crazy times, there was still someone he could trust and rely on. Yoshi was his pillar of strength from the day they first met, and Milo couldn't think of a better person to call his cousin and friend.

"But anyway, I did some research last night into bullying and hazing, and I found some stuff that may help you," Yoshi explained. The young dinosaur went on to elaborate that many cases of bullying and hazing usually went unreported due to lack of indisputable proof, with many being reduced to nothing more than "he said, she said" between bully and victim. Things were usually worse with cyberbullying, where everything was done online with identities being anonymous. "In cases like these, it'll take a lot in order to get charges to stick," Yoshi added, "So if you find yourself targeted like that, there's not much you can do."

Milo tilted his head back and forth, digesting each bit of information given. While he was not convinced that the law was the only option, the issues of evidence were intriguing to him. "If you say you have to have evidence, then what are we looking for exactly?" he queried.

"It'll depend on what our allegations are, right? For example, your claim of hazing is that the varsity team purposely threw baseballs at you and you ended up getting hit on the ribs. If we can show that there are damages to your ribs, and that the varsity guys intended to do what they did, it's enough to get an assault charge laid," Yoshi commented. He gestured Milo to life up his shirt while flipping his phone open. "If you still have a bruise there, and there's enough evidence to show the beaning did happen, then the least I should do is take a photo for record purposes."

Milo winced. "Yoshi, do we really have to do that?" he countered, nervously jiggling the hem of his shirt, "I don't want them to get in trouble for this. Besides, if there's a way to fix the problem without police or lawyers, then we don't even have to do this. The varsity guys aren't going to listen to me tell them about these charges anyway, so why do we even bother?"

"Milo, did you hear what you just said?" Yoshi challenged, narrowing his eyes at his human cousin, "You just said that those jocks won't listen to you about the law. If they are bold enough to ignore the law, what makes you think they'll suddenly wake up tomorrow and listen to you telling them to stop hazing?" Yoshi clicked various applications on his cellphone, shaking his head the whole time. "The jocks won't see you as a gentleman letting things simmer on their own and somehow be inspired by that to change their ways. They'll only see you as a guy with no guts, which will only lead to them picking on you more."

"But still, I don't know what taking a picture of my bruises will do," Milo continued, sitting sideways so that his injured side is away from Yoshi, "I just don't want this to make everyone, including me, more unhappy. So can't we just let this drop and move on?"

"There's the problem, buddy. If your bruises go away, then we have no evidence of any of this. Based on what I said, how can you get a remedy for your problems this way?" Yoshi challenged, waving his cellphone at Milo, "Even if you don't do it for yourself, at least do this for your friends. At least Scott knows that no one will dare to throw him in the trash again if you have some legal option to fall back on, right?"

Milo said nothing. The lights above them made part of Yoshi's shadow cover Milo's legs. "You always say you wanted to help orphans as a way to give back to those who are going through what you went through. Well, how can you say you're achieving your goal when your own orphan friends can't be protected from school bullies?" Yoshi continued, "Even if you can get them on your side by playing sports with them, it doesn't mean they stop picking on your friends or other people. There will only be more victims in the future, I guarantee that."

After another minute or so hesitation, Milo finally relented and lifted his shirt. Yoshi zoomed in his cellphone camera on Milo's left side. There was still some colouration on the ribs, but it was evident that some recovery had occurred. Yoshi quickly snapped a couple of shots, tilting his phone around Milo's left arm and making sure not to miss any angle. Even though Milo was still hesitant to take any further legal action, Yoshi felt keeping that option alive was the best thing he could do. "Okay, we're good," he stated, gesturing to Milo to lower the shirt.

Milo turned back to Yoshi but did not look at his dinosaur cousin, his eyes glancing at his feet while his thumbs twiddled nervously. There was no secret that Milo was self-conscious about the bruises, but Milo also realized that Yoshi did it for the best. It wasn't the first time that Yoshi tried to inspire Milo into doing the right thing, even when that right thing was against what Milo had wanted at the time. But if it worked out last time, then Milo had to think it would work out this time as well. "So, did you tell that trusted person about the bullying?" Yoshi asked.

Milo winced again. This was another topic he didn't want to talk about, but he trusted Yoshi enough to let him in on the details. "Well, the person I trusted turns out to be someone I can't rely on at all," Milo explained. He discussed how Mr. Felton dismissed all his claims and even refused to hear the story of Scott being dumped in the trash. Milo further informed Yoshi that he felt Felton would not inform the athletics department of the hazing, and even if he did Milo doubted anything would be done. "So no, I don't think it worked out well," Milo ended.

Before Yoshi could comment on the situation, Milo assured him that not all was lost. "I met the student body president for the first time. Remember the ball boy that was picked on a lot? His older sister is the student body president, and I got to know her a bit," Milo described, "It sounds like she's the type who can get things done, so at least I can rely on her if things go bad. Even though Sean and I both think we shouldn't rock the boat, at least we know Cassandra is on our side. It'll work out, Yoshi. I just know it."

Yoshi nodded. It was good to know that even though Milo was intent on solving this on his own, Milo still kept open the options of seeking outside help. "If need be, you can always ask your parents for help," Yoshi suggested, "Remember that Uncle Brendan has a former baseball teammate who is now in the police force. I'm sure he can help you with legal options."

"Will do, Yoshi," Milo responded, cracking a smile for the first time that week, "Until then, I'm going to focus on my preseason game. If I make the team, I hope you and the Smashers can come watch me play. But let's get back to the orphanage concert night. Do you and the Smashers want to just plan and organize, or do some of you want to perform too?" With that, the two returned to the happier task of planning the orphanage event. It would keep Milo and Yoshi busy, but both sides knew this was something they didn't want to miss for the world.

* * *

Just a list of things I want to elaborate on here:

1.) The no-hazing policy is from my local NHL team, the Calgary Flames. The team president, Brian Burke, is a major proponent of eliminating hazing in hockey and other sports. His son is openly gay, but died in a car accident a few years back. As such, Brian Burke has embraced the anti-bullying campaign as a way to memorialize his son.

2.) The soccer team being the leaders in hazing is a reference to my friend **Wavebreeze**, who did a similar story ("What We Saw From the Outside") where the hazing was done by a soccer team. The soccer captain in my story is named Ralph, who shares the name with one of the bullies in Wave's story. So, here's a shout-out to Wave.

3.) The cyberbullying cases from Canada are Amanda Todd and Rehtaeh Parsons. Both girls were sexually harassed, and the incidents were broadcasted on social media. They were mercilessly slandered and both ended up committing suicide. The Canadian government is now toughening the laws on cyberbullying, but it's unfortunate that it took the deaths of these girls before action was taken.

4.) The counsellor, Mr. Felton, is somewhat similar to my own high school counsellor. Like Milo, my own high school counsellor coaches the varsity basketball team and completely idolizes jocks, to the point where anyone who isn't a jock (like me) gets almost no help from him. Luckily, I managed to find a way to deal with the problem, and I plan to have Milo do the same in future chapter.

Very long author's note, but I figure you can get a better sense of my train-of-thought this way. Let me know how you feel about this chapter, and what changes I should make in the future. Thank you for reading and see you next time!


	3. Confrontations

I want to thank **Kelev** and **Cody the Pikachu** for their reviews last chapter. After what I felt were slower chapters to put some building blocks in place, this chapter will really put some things in motion. You'll see Milo start confronting his issues more head-on, both with the bullying, his conflicted feelings with his parents, and his interactions with the orphans and Sean. There are a lot of issues in play, so let's see where we can take this.

Nintendo owns Super Smash Bros. I own Milo Sullivan, his parents, his friends, and all other OC's in this story.

* * *

After a week of two uneventful preseason games where the team split their squad to play against other similar split-squad school teams, Milo was relieved to hear that he made the final cuts. While his hitting could still use some work, the coaches were convinced that he had enough speed and played good enough defense to warrant a position. "Right now, I'll most likely be used as a defensive replacement in late innings, when we're playing with the lead," he informed his fellow orphans at their usual lunch table.

Luckily for Milo, some of the hazing activities towards him also subsided. Milo guessed that the varsity team was busy with their practices and didn't have time for the junior varsity team, which gave him some reprieve. "At least they're not bullying us like crazy right now, so any break I get from them is a good thing," Milo added.

"Just because they're giving us a break doesn't mean they won't stop being so incredibly obnoxious," Haley spat, glaring at the tables in the centre of the cafeteria. To no one's surprise, the varsity captains in question were yacking it up like there was no tomorrow. There were a couple of cheerleaders swooning at Ralph the soccer captain, while Mick the baseball captain was in a food-stuffing match of sorts with the basketball captain. "If there's something more disgusting than what's going on there, then I haven't seen it yet," Haley commented.

"Come on, Haley," Scott chimed in with a grin, "Let them do whatever they want. It's the least that can happen with the big people of campus, right?" Wiping his mouth with a napkin, Scott leaned back and seemingly enjoyed the scene, almost like he had already forgotten what they did to him last week. How could he take such a nonchalant approach towards this?

Mark definitely caught on and chided his brother for it. "So just because they're the big people on campus, it means they can humiliate others and haze their younger teammates to the point of no return?" he retorted, crossing his arms and glaring at Scott, "I hardly call dumping you headfirst into the garbage appropriate. If I were you, I'd stay away from those guys."

"Guys, there's no use dwelling on it," Milo stated, trying to keep the peace between the two brothers, "When your own counsellor isn't willing to take action, then you know you're in a tough spot. Let's just try and find another way, okay?"

"What other way is there when you can't even trust your own counsellor to help you?" Haley snapped back. Milo told everyone his attempt to get Felton to help, only to be rebuffed by the counsellor who was more interested in keeping good relations with the athletics department. "Is there even anyone you can trust right now who you can turn to for help?"

"There's the student body president. She's the older sister of the ball boy, remember?" Milo suggested. He did have a word with Cassandra after his meeting with Felton, finding the student body president trustworthy and reliable enough to help him. "I told Sean I wanted to talk to him today to see if we can come up with something. I just have to convince him that this is serious and it should work out. Just trust me on this, okay?"

"Milo, I find it hard to trust anyone when the school itself is part of the toxic culture," Mark replied, squeezing his eyes shut and pinching the bridge of his nose, "I mean, I've heard of people who get caught up in the excitement and not actually wanting anyone to get hurt. We were kind of in the same situation when we were in the street gang, so we shouldn't be pointing fingers. But at least we got out of it and started cleaning up the toxic culture. With these jocks, not only do they not see this as a problem, they seem to enjoy every minute of it. They're not just into the toxic culture, they've become the problem itself! How can you say you're okay with it?"

Before Milo could respond, another freshman approached their table. "Hey Milo, sorry I was late. I kind of caused a spill in the food aisle of the cafeteria and when I helped them clean it up I ended up running into the drinks station," Sean stammered, rubbing the back of his head and showing off a goofy grin, "They just got everything cleaned up in there."

"And why am I not surprised you're behind the messes?" Haley muttered, palming her face and shaking her head. Sean's accident-prone reputation was beyond belief, to the point where some people wondered if the accidents he caused were even remotely possible. "Anyway, you're friends with Milo through the baseball team, right? How are things going over there?"

"Oh, it's fine," Sean responded with a wave of the hand, "The final rosters are set, and I just have to figure out how to juggle between practices. From what I heard, the varsity team wants me to be their ball boy at games, and that they take priority over junior varsity. Unless something changes, I think that's where I'll focus on for preparing their games."

All four orphans glanced at each other, knowing full well what this meant. "Uh, Sean, have you ever thought that perhaps the reason the varsity team is doing this is because they want to boss you around, not because they like you?" Mark suggested, tilting one eyebrow at the ball boy, "They just want someone to be there to act like their caddy, and that happens to be you."

"Guys, don't say that," Milo interjected, waving his fingerless-gloved hands at his friends. Turning to Sean, he announced why he brought the fellow freshman here. "Sean, I'm wondering if you can get Cassandra to help us with a couple of things. First, do you think she can let us talk to her about the hazing incidents and the thing that happened with Scott? That way, it doesn't look like we're purposely trying to get the varsity guys in trouble, but at least someone will know what's going on to give them a warning. Do you think she'll let us do that?"

Sean winced, the wide grin disappearing in a matter of seconds. "Milo, you know why I'm not sure about that idea," he stuttered, twiddling his thumbs nervously, "If word gets out that I got my sister involved, everyone will think I'm a suck-up to her."

"But we're not saying you should get involved. We're just saying let us get involved so we can tell her," Milo clarified, his hands gesturing animatedly, "Besides, we're not even sure if we want to take full action yet. This is just a case where we tell her about it so she can look out for us, not where we want to get those idiots in trouble. Do you get what I'm saying?"

Sean tilted his head back and forth, his cheeks now creasing in various ways. "I hear you and I get your point, but I'm just not sure right now," Sean replied. Even if no one got in trouble for their actions, word would still get out about this, which would then cause the jocks to point the finger right back at Sean. "I'll talk to her, but no guarantees, okay?"

"Look, you're a victim too, with the way those guys pick on you when you're setting up the field for them," Mark pointed out, "You're not going to be part of them because you're cool. They only put up with you because they don't want to offend your sister, who can probably do a lot of damage to them. If anything, I think they'll haze and bully you the same way they do to the junior varsity teams. Why can't you get that through your thick head?"

"Hey, relax," Scott chimed in, throwing his arm around Sean this time, "Just trust Sean to do the job for us, okay? It can't be that bad, given how those varsity guys pretty much leave us alone now. Besides, if you insult Sean, how can you get him to do us the second favour?"

Sean glanced over at the group again, prompting Milo to give Sean the rundown on their concert event. He informed Sean that the orphans still volunteered regularly at the orphanage they used to be in before they were adopted. They wanted to give back to by hosting a concert night there, but had relatively little luck getting the school band or any clubs to help them. "Can you tell Cassandra about this to see if she'll do anything to help?" Milo requested.

"That's probably easier to do than telling on the jocks, so I'll give that a try," Sean answered, the grin finally returning to his face, "I've never seen an orphanage before, so it sounds really interesting. If you want my help, I'll see if I can get involved too."

"The good news is that Milo made the baseball team, even though his role is mainly as a defensive replacement," Yoshi reported to his friends at the Smash Mansion. It was a sunny spring day, and most of the Smashers chose to spend it outside. Yoshi sat under a large tree with his two good friends Kirby and Pikachu, who inquired about Milo's situation. After following Yoshi to Milo's school, many Smashers were still concerned about Yoshi's cousin.

"So what's the bad news?" Kirby asked, hungrily chomping into an apple, "Don't tell me those bullies are still picking on Milo. Did Milo do anything about those guys?"

Yoshi's eyes waved before tilting to the grass. "Milo doesn't really want me to release too much info on that. He wants to solve it on his own, and I'm willing to respect his wishes," Yoshi responded, "All I'll say is that he promised me he'll talk to someone he trusts, and he's not having too much success so far. The only thing we can do right now is keep supporting him."

"Who was the person that Milo went to that he claimed he could trust, but then it didn't work out?" Pikachu wondered, giving the back of his ears a scratch with his hind leg, "Is it a staff member of the school? Shouldn't the school have known about this in the first place?"

"They should, and that's why I'm concerned about this," Yoshi explained, wrapping his arms around his knees, "I feel like the school isn't taking this as seriously as they should. It's like they're turning a blind eye to everything that's happened. That, or the school only pays this issue lip service, like what happened when Uncle Brendan and Aunt Ashley cornered the athletic director on the first day. Unless we can get someone in that school to realize that there's a huge problem with bullying and hazing, Milo is pretty much on his own."

The ever-happy Kirby immediately lost his insatiable appetite, doing nothing more than rolling the half-eaten apple around. "This is no different than what Milo had to go through when he was in the sewers. Heck, it might even be worse," he murmured. There was no reason that a school filled with children from middle-class families should subject any student to such abuse and harassment. Why was there such a huge problem now?

"What about legal options?" Pikachu suggested, "I remember you wanting to look at some legal options for Milo. What are the results from your research?"

Yoshi nodded before proceeding to describe what he discovered. A civil lawsuit was only possible if there was some evidence of an actionable cause, such as uttering threats or defamation via written or published messages. Criminal charges were even less likely, given there must be some discernable physical injury to the victim. "The only one that came even close was Scott, who was thrown into the garbage can. So unless Milo can convince Scott to press charges against those jerks, we won't be seeing any cops at the school," Yoshi concluded.

"Wait, Yoshi," Kirby interrupted, raising the limb holding the remains of his apple, "I know your uncle is friends with a police sergeant. They used to play baseball together before they both retired, and then the friend joined the police force. Have you asked the sergeant?"

"Oh, you mean Jack Riley," Yoshi pointed out. Jack Riley was Brendan's former baseball teammate and still close friend. When they retired, Brendan opened a grocery store while Jack joined the police force, positions that both individuals still held today. "I'll have to talk to Uncle Brendan about that, but Jack is definitely a resource for Milo."

"In that case, I think you should talk to Brendan about this and see if he can get Jack to talk to Milo," Pikachu proposed, shifting his position to lie on his stomach, "If you can get Milo to hear Jack out, then at least he knows there's another way out for him. I know Milo wants to solve it on his own, but he should at least have a contingency plan if things don't work out."

"For sure," Yoshi responded with gratitude, "I think Milo is approaching this the same way he approached the other orphans back when we first met him. Do you remember what he said when we asked him why he wanted to go back to the sewers even though it was dangerous? He said he wanted to give the orphans another chance, all because I gave him another chance. He took advantage of the chance I gave him to better himself, and he wants to orphans to do the same thing. I think Milo believes he can use the same approach to convince the varsity guys to stop hazing and reach out to the others." Yoshi truly admired Milo's idealism and tenacity, as those traits got Milo to where he was today.

"Let's move on for a second," Kirby chimed in, snapping Yoshi back to attention, "I know Milo and his buddies want to host that concert at the orphanage, and you said you wanted us to help him. Have you done any planning on that, and what can we do to help?"

"Ah, yes," Yoshi stated, proceeding to explain the progress made so far. The idea was to have the entire night be a mix between a dance, a community gathering, and a concert. Music would be provided by either school or community performers, although Yoshi left open the possibility that the Smashers performed as well. Ashley, who owned a restaurant, would do the food and catering, with the Smashers only having to help set up. "We're still trying to set some type of schedule to see how long each activity should go for, but Milo's willing to let you guys control that if it helps you set up better," the young dinosaur concluded.

"That's good to hear then," Pikachu agreed, sitting back up to an upright posture, "I think quite a few of us are musical. It won't surprise me if some Smashers offer to perform too. Have you asked any of them yet? Maybe we can perform with Milo and the orphans."

"Yeah, I hope so too," Yoshi responded. He took a gander at the field behind the Smash Mansion, where most of the Smashers now gathered. Mario was having tea and snacks with his brother Luigi and the two princesses, Peach and Rosalina. Link and Zelda were getting cuddly in the presence of Link's toon self, who was just a big ball of energy racing and prancing around. Fox and Samus were inspecting some materials for repairing the latter's spaceship, while Marth, a swordsman, sparred with Pit, an angel-like being holding a large bow. While Yoshi knew that more Smashers were likely to come, it was at least a peaceful enough scene for them all to enjoy. Deep down, he really wished Milo was here to enjoy it with him.

Turning to his two friends, Yoshi suggested they went back inside to grab a few more snacks. "It won't surprise me if Donkey Kong or some of the other bigger Smashers raided the fridge while we were gone," Kirby grumbled as the threesome headed inside.

"Hey, for two smaller Smashers, you and Yoshi can really eat too, so don't complain so much," Pikachu chided the pink Smasher in jest, "You're just lucky Milo isn't as big a glutton as you two, or we'll have to do groceries a lot more frequently."

"With baseball season starting soon, I won't be surprised if Milo ends up eating more," Yoshi added, opening the back door and allowing the others in before him, "If I find out when he'll start a game, I'll make sure as many of us attend as possible." Yoshi knew how much it would mean to Milo if the Smashers could attend his first game. If it would make Milo feel like he was being supported, then Yoshi would go whatever length possible to make it happen.

* * *

Milo didn't really want to speak to anyone after another stressful practice. With the first regular season baseball game coming up next week, his mind was only on how he could best contribute to his team. The only explanation the coaches offered on keeping Milo as a defensive replacement was team chemistry. "We'll be most productive if we play according to the roster," he recalled them describing, "No sudden changes will be made unless it's absolutely necessary."

Milo shook his head as he changed out of his uniform, grabbing his towel and his regular clothes before hitting the showers. He slipped into the closest stall and pulled the curtain close. Stripping off all his clothing, Milo turned the water on and just allowed it to pour over his head. Milo didn't make a single move, hoping the water could clean his mind of any negative thoughts. Throughout the practice, most junior varsity players kept his at arm's length, with very few conversations or words exchanged with him. It was like even when they were on the same team, Milo was still an outsider. There was no doubt that his orphan status was part of it.

Milo turned his body around so that his back was being poured on rather than his front. He certainly didn't feel it was a lack of effort on his part to reach out. In fact, ever since he got to this school, Milo's entire goal was to reach out to the student body, in hopes that they could hear the stories of him and his friends. Milo believed that if more people knew about the plights of orphans, then they were more willing to take action to help the orphanage. His own parents, Brendan and Ashley, had done lots for the orphanage even before Milo ran away with the street gang. If anything, Milo was only continuing his parents' philanthropic legacy.

After several minutes of standing under a waterfall, Milo finally reached for the bottle of soap in his belongings. Squirting out a liberal amount, he rubbed it in his palms before spreading it all over his body. Milo could only imagine the amount of soap Scott had to use when he was dumped into the trash by the varsity captains. In reality, Milo and his orphan friends all tried to reach out to the school, with Scott in band and Haley in the social justice club. Mark was the only one who was less trusting, but even then Mark tried to keep an open mind. It was just that the school's rigid social hierarchy meant anybody who was different would not be tolerated, and anybody on the lower rungs of the ladder had to climb their way up. "I wonder if those varsity guys have ever been in our spots, and if they had to earn their way up," Milo murmured.

After Milo made sure the soap reached all parts of his body, he scrubbed himself with his towel. He was lucky that he was amongst the last players to leave the field, meaning he had the shower room all to himself. He could only shudder to think what would happen if both the varsity and junior varsity teams had to compete for the showers. No doubt the varsity guys would proclaim their superiority and occupied the stalls first, leaving the junior guys out to freeze in their underwear or something. Assuming the varsity guys went through the same experience when they were in junior varsity, why would they think it was funny to make the current junior varsity players go through the same thing? The fact that those jocks never learned their lesson from experience drove Milo off the walls, and it only made Milo dislike them more. "Maybe Mark and Haley are right when we should go harder after these guys," Milo muttered.

A quick rinse of his body got Milo back to the original idea of why he was putting up with these guys in the first place. Perhaps it was because of this vicious cycle and the toxic culture of the school that got the jocks to keep acting moronically. Nobody gave them a chance to see that this was wrong, and in the process nobody gave them a chance to do the right thing. Milo was stuck in this very situation when he first met Yoshi, but Yoshi's determination and belief in Milo was what got Milo away from the street gang. Maybe Milo was too idealistic, but shouldn't these guys get at least a second chance? If Yoshi offered it to Milo, and Milo and his friends would offer it to other orphans, then maybe the varsity guys should get it too.

Milo let the water run over him for another minute before turning off the taps. Yanking the curtain open, Milo quickly dried himself off with his towel before changing into his clothes. He still had a bunch of planning to do with the orphanage event, with Yoshi now getting most of the Smashers involved. Milo was truly grateful that this great opportunity worked out, given the Smashers were considered somewhat celebrities in his world. If this would make the orphans happy, then Milo could say his mission was a success.

Milo pulled on his socks and slipped on his dark sneakers before turning to the final pieces of his attire, his trademark open-fingered gloves. Milo chose to leave his other trademark, his baseball hat, off at the moment, given his hair was still wet. Milo used to wear these items when he was still in the sewers, to the point where he felt unnatural without them. Even though his old hat and gloves were now replaced with new ones, Milo couldn't see himself without them. Even though his street urchin days was a period of time that Milo would rather not talk about, it felt like wearing these pieces of his attire meant Milo had come to terms with his past. If he could use this to help others in the future, how great would that be?

Just when Milo pulled the curtain the step out, he was nearly bowled over by another individual. Before Milo could even inquire what happened, said individual muttered some rather derogatory words relating to varsity soccer. "Who do those guys think they are? Why do they think they have the right to do this?" the voice spat.

Milo held his belongings close to his chest, inching forward to the adjacent shower stall. Craning his head into the stall, he saw a freshman wearing a similar ball cap soaked from head to toe in some mystery liquid. The closer inspection allowed Milo to identify the wet figure as Richie, the Hong Kong-born freshman who was part of the junior varsity soccer team. "This is inexcusable," Richie hissed, pulling off his red hat, "If they do this to me again…"

"Hey Richie, are you alright?" Milo turned his head to see another freshman, one with dark brown spikey hair, marching in with a towel and soap. It was Willis, Richie's best friend and another junior varsity soccer freshman. If Milo recalled correctly, Richie and Willis were the only two junior varsity soccer players who spoke up against the hazing by the varsity team. They were so upset when the varsity team continued mistreating them that they almost quit the team. "I got your towel here. Do you have an extra set of clothes to change into?" Willis asked.

"Uh, what exactly happened here?" Milo asked, his eyes tilting between Richie struggling with his clothes in the stall and Willis standing outside looking on in concern. With Richie's tone increasingly agitated by the second, Milo was downright worried.

Willis turned over to Milo, the former's eyebrows creased in worry. "Some varsity soccer guys thought they'd play a prank on Richie by placing molasses, honey, and other sticky liquids in Richie's locker," he explained, "They diluted it a bit so it can be poured, so when Richie went to open his locker, the stuff came out and Richie got showered."

"And it's all because I told them to go away when they invited me to an initiation party this weekend," the Chinese boy shouted from the shower stall. Richie stuck an arm out, gesturing to his friend for the towel while pulling the curtain close. "I thought the hazing ended when the soccer season was over, but looks like I guessed wrong."

Milo swallowed hard amidst the sounds of the shower in Richie's stall being turned open. Even though he had some success in gathering his thoughts on giving the varsity teams second chances for redeeming themselves, this incident just cast Milo back into the cloud of doubt.

* * *

"Are you excited for the baseball game next week? It's your season opener, and I'm sure you'll be just fine out there," Ashley stated, slipping another dish into the dishwasher. It was not common to see both Brendan and Ashley having dinner with Milo. Most of the time, at least one was absent due to their occupations. While Milo understood and assured social services that this would not affect his relationship with Brendan and Ashley, it was still awkward to deal with.

"You know, you don't have to limit yourself to playing just the outfield all because I did. The reason I had to was because I'm left-handed, and most infield positions except first base require right-handed throwers," Brendan pointed out, "Since you hit and throw right, you can give yourself some flexibility and gain more playing time that way."

Milo said nothing, leaning back against his chair at the dining room table and absorbed all of his parents' words. Milo knew that if requested, Brendan and Ashley would jump to his defence in a heartbeat. Just the fact that they both marched down to the school the day the varsity team drilled Milo in the ribs was evidence that they truly cared about Milo. In fact, Brendan and Ashley had been supportive of Milo even when Milo was part of the street gang. With their love, Milo truly felt guilty that he hadn't been completely clean with them.

At the same time, part of the awkwardness came from the fact that both Brendan and Ashley were busy with their work. Brendan was owned a grocery store while Ashley owned and served as head chef of a restaurant. Both jobs required the parents to be away from home most of their day, meaning it wasn't common to see both parents home with Milo. While Milo bonded well with each individual parent, he hadn't completely bonded with both at the same time. Add to how Brendan and Ashley stormed the school after the hazing incident, and Milo felt truly intimidated. Would the varsity guys even get a second chance if his parents got involved?

"Milo, are you still there?" Ashley's voice snapped Milo back to attention. Milo got a good look at his mother, who pushed her snout closer to his face. "You kind of dozed off for a while. Is everything alright? Are you feeling ill or tired?"

Milo tried to speak, but only managed a wince. He was still disturbed by the comments from Richie and Willis today, when the two junior varsity soccer players accused their varsity counterparts of sabotaging Richie's locker and damaging Richie's clothes. Based on their words, Milo was convinced that the varsity team wanted to continue the hazing despite soccer season's conclusion, and anyone who refused would be targeted another way. Milo wondered how long it would be before he was targeted again, mainly due to his association with his fellow orphans.

"Are those guys on the sports teams bothering you again?" Brendan chimed in, another face of concern entering Milo's vision, "If they are, you shouldn't hesitate in telling us. We'll go in there and make sure their so-called anti-hazing policy is strictly enforced."

That was when Milo realized he had to make a move. While he didn't want his parents to intimidate people, he also wanted to take this opportunity to come clean. "I wasn't the one being picked on today, but a couple of my friends are," Milo stated. He went on to explain what the varsity soccer team did to Richie, and he was concerned that the baseball team would be hit next. "It was a party held by the varsity soccer guys, and the junior varsity members were invited. The goal was to haze those players, and all Richie said was he didn't want to go," Milo described, "You know I'm never going to these parties, so what if they come after me?"

Brendan and Ashley glanced nervously at each other. Realizing this was the first time Milo made any comments about his interactions with varsity athletes, Brendan and Ashley decided to probe deeper. "Were you directly targeted by anyone?" Brendan demanded, his eyes narrowing significantly, "If they did anything to you, you have to tell us so we can help you."

"I know, and I appreciate it," Milo stuttered, the right words not coming to him easily, "I just don't want you to go in and tear a strip off of everyone. I want to try and do this on my own, and hopefully I can convince the varsity guys to give it up. If I can convince the varsity guys to stop this barbaric practice, then maybe we can end hazing and bullying altogether."

"Milo, I don't think you can do what you did with the orphans here with the varsity team," Ashley pointed out, "These varsity athletes aren't fighting for their lives. They think they own the whole school and expect everyone to worship them. How can you deal with that?"

"And if what you're doing hasn't worked, shouldn't you get other people involved?" Brendan added, "I know Yoshi wanted us to give you some room, but I feel you shouldn't shut your mom and me out. Is there anything we can do to help you out?"

Milo stuttered again. "I do appreciate it, and I do want your help, but I just hope you won't do what you did the first time," Milo requested, rubbing his temples nervously, "When you barge into the school like that, it really makes people see you guys as aggressive. I think you can help me by just listening and supporting me while let me solve this problem my way. I worked really hard to try to fit in without being part of the toxic culture, and I don't want to make it look like I'm just hiding behind you guys."

That got Brendan and Ashley stuttering, dropping their jaws, and widening their eyes. Sensing his parents' reaction, Milo took a deep breath and continued, "You adopted me and gave me a home, and I'll never forget you and Yoshi giving me a second chance. I feel like we're talking to each other, but we're not really getting each other, at least not completely. I don't want to feel like I'm completely dominated by you, to the point where I can't speak for myself."

It took nearly a full minute before either parent spoke. "Milo, why didn't you tell us about this?" Ashley eked out, her entire body shaky, "Did you tell the social services people about us not seeing eye-to-eye? If there's anything your father and I can do to make it up to you, you just have to tell us. You know how much we love you and want you around, Milo!"

"I know, and that's why we have to talk about this," Milo responded. Never in his fourteen-year-old life did Milo envision having this conversation that seemed more mature and sophisticated than he could take on. But if this could put his relationship with his parents on a whole new level, then it was worth it. "I just want you to know that I love you both, but I want to do what we did when we found out the street gang was go into attack Dad's store. I want you guys to support me, but let me convince those guys to change."

Brendan and Ashley glanced at each other before nodding reluctantly. In their previous conversation with their nephew, they were adamant that only giving Milo further space to deal with problems his way was the best way to continue building their relationship. "We'll let you do it your way for now, but you have to promise me to keep communicating with us," Brendan told Milo, "We are a family, and we have to talk to each other if we want to help each other. So if you want any other advice or options, don't hesitate to talk to us, okay?"

* * *

The first two regular season baseball games for the junior varsity team was almost as uneventful as practice itself. The team split the games with one win and one loss, each one coming at large margins. Because of this, Milo managed to get some playing time during the late innings as a defensive replacement. "At least I got to patrol the outfield, or else I'd be bored to tears," Milo pointed out to his friends at their usual cafeteria table.

However, Milo did not gain any confidence from the coaches. While they had no issues with his defensive play, praising his speed and ability to get to fly balls, they were worried about Milo's batting. "They think I'm not patient enough, and that I should take more pitches rather than swinging away," Milo explained, positioning his hands like he was holding a bat, "They think I should be less aggressive at the plate and stop trying to pull pitches."

"By pulling the ball, you mean hitting it to left field, right? This is because you're a right-handed hitter?" Mark clarified, "You're not talking to huge sports buffs here, so you might want to take it easy on the technical sports language on us."

"Yeah, but you're forgetting I'm part of the baseball team, and I can explain to you what those terms mean," Sean chimed in. After their awkward first meeting, the orphans decided to let Sean in on their lunch table. It was almost fitting that the most unpopular kid in school would be invited to eat with the most unpopular group of kids in school. But for this group of five, it was the best thing to happen. At least they could get support against the jocks from each other, even when Milo and Sean were hesitant to take drastic action against them.

"Let's forget about sports for a second and get back to the original topic," Haley called, snapping her fingers at the boys. Before the lone girl were her notes on the orphanage concert, with Haley's concern being the progress of their work. "Right now I've called the orphanage and they gave us the available dates," the pony-tailed girl described, showing a bunch of dates that were after the conclusion of baseball season, "So it's just a matter of availability and what we can do to help set up. How are we doing with performers, Scott?"

"That would be a negative, Haley," Scott responded, his optimistic tone tainted with a bit of pessimism, "I've still gotten no firm acceptance from any band people on performing at the show. Their main concern is the year-end pep rally and Athletics Awards and Appreciation Night at the end of the year, so our little concert is not a priority for them at all."

"Well, I guess that shows us where we sit on the school hierarchy, right guys?" Mark snorted, giving a side glance to Milo and Sean. Mark was still suspicious of how Milo and Sean still refused to hammer any jocks, and the current turn of events didn't make him feel better. "Is there any way we can keep going with this concert when we have no planners, organizers, or even performers? Don't tell me we're all on our own right now. Milo, what did the Smashers say about helping out? And Sean, did you get your sister to help us?"

"I told Yoshi and the Smashers and they're willing to perform," Milo answered, recalling his previous conversation with his cousin, "A few of the Smashers are musical, so they can put together a show if they want to. I'll just let Yoshi take control of the performance schedule."

That got impressed looks from Scott and Haley, seemingly relieved that Milo managed to find someone to perform at the show. "What about you, Sean?" Haley asked, "Did you get a chance to talk to Cassandra about our show? And what did she say about it?"

"Cassandra said she'll definitely gauge people's interest, but you know how it is with her," Sean replied with a nervous smile and his right hand rubbing the back of his head, "She's the student body president, so she's got a lot of balls to juggle. If there are other things that she has to pay attention to, then she'll have to deal with those things first."

"But she will vouch for us, right?" Haley insisted, her sharp eyes now resembling daggers aimed right at Sean's heart, "I'm having no luck with the social justice club. They seem more interested in their own little agenda than this worthy cause. If no one makes a move and no other club will be involved, it might boil down to your sister pulling some strings."

"I know, but Cassandra's being pulled from all sides, so her hands are tied right now," Sean replied, his eyes cast away from Haley's glare and his voice weakening by the second, "But I can help you as much as I can, even if Cassandra can't get anyone to help."

"See that?" Scott beamed, throwing his hands up in victory, "There is someone on our side. I'm sure Sean here will give it his all and then some. Welcome to the team, Sean! The whole orphanage gladly welcomes you to the show!" With that, Scott leaned over and gave Sean a playful punch on the shoulder, nearly sending the freshman onto the ground.

Sean winced, rubbing his shoulder before straightening out his pose. "I promise you I'll do everything I can, but right now I don't know how far we can get with Cassandra," he added, "Besides, if I hang too tightly onto Cassandra, then it'll look like I'm only getting what I want because of her status. I want to try doing some of this stuff on my own, you know."

"Sean, I'm all for that, but right now you're not in a good spot," Mark retorted, sending the ball boy an emotionless, unimpressed gaze, "I see you get picked on by varsity, where you're more their slave than their ball boy. Yet you're still nowhere near them, and they probably won't allow you to sit with them or hang out with them. Just face it, Sean. Those guys aren't laughing with you, but laughing at you. When are you ever going to understand that?"

"Geez, Mark. Do you have to make it sound that bad?" Sean responded meekly, finding the cafeteria floor very fascinating, "I know the varsity guys have their heads in the clouds at times, but they can't help it. Lots of those guys have athletic scholarship offers from colleges, and some can only get in through those scholarships. If it weren't for those, they probably won't get to go to college at all. If you ask me to rat on those guys, isn't that going to ruin their lives? I don't know if that's the right thing to do," Sean concluded with a whimper.

"And for that, you're willing to let these jerks ruin the rest of your high school life," Haley observed, crossing her arms and creasing her brows, "If they act like a bunch of idiots, I know I'll never offer them a scholarship. They don't deserve to be feted like heroes after what they did to Milo and Scott. If anything, they only deserve more punishment, and it is people like you who continue to put up with them that's making them bolder."

That comment only got an awkward silence to descend upon the table, almost like the corner of the cafeteria had become a black hole for sound. Uneasy looks were exchanged between Milo and Sean, both freshmen knowing that the comment was directed at them. Haley looked downright murderous with narrowing eyes and pursed lips. Mark seemed unimpressed and uncaring, staring at Milo and Sean with a tilted glance and his eyelids halfway down. Scott seemed downright worried, his body shaking and rubbing his arms up and down for comfort.

Finally, Milo spoke up by picking up his notes from the table. "I think that's a little too much excitement for today, so let's all just calm down first," he suggested, stuffing the notes back into his bag, "We can always come back to this another time." This conversation only reminded him of the tough chat he had with his parents last week, and it didn't make Milo feel any better. Was he losing the love and respect of all those who he cherished?

* * *

"It's not often I get a chance to play catch with you, Milo," Yoshi commented as he plucked the baseball out of his glove and hurled it in Milo's direction. The weekend couldn't come soon enough for Milo, who had his fair share of odd encounters with friends and family. After two difficult conversations with those closest to him, Milo really wanted some time to just calm down and be away from it all. At least playing catch with Yoshi in the community park meant he could count on someone who he could truly trust and rely on.

"Well, at least I get to practice outside school time. Now if only this can translate to getting me more playing time," Milo responded, throwing the ball back at his reptilian cousin. Another week meant another two games, where one was a close one where his team lost by a couple of runs. The coaches were more concerned with getting the tying run, so they focused completely on offensive players staying in the game as long as possible. Milo saw no playing time in that one game, leading to him getting even less playing time. "I swear, Yoshi, it's either I have to start hitting or someone has to get injured," Milo pointed out.

Yoshi threw the ball back before shading his eyes from the sun's glare. "That's not really nice of you to wish injury upon someone, Milo," he commented, shuffling into position to catch Milo's return throw, "Just don't despair. I'm sure something will work out soon. Besides, as long as the idiots on varsity aren't picking on you, I'm sure you'll get a chance to shine."

Yoshi's throw was short, leading Milo to run towards the dinosaur in order to catch the ball. "Well, let's just hope I'm not risking my friends and family for more playing time. I didn't have a good week with my parents and friends, and I hope I didn't come across to them as mean and disrespectful," Milo replied, sending the ball back at Yoshi with a snap throw.

Yoshi caught the ball but didn't throw it back. Instead, he tilted his head to the side, in the direction of a nearby park bench. "Come on, let's take a break," Yoshi suggested, leading Milo to the side, "Maybe we can talk out your problems from last week."

Yoshi and Milo plopped down on the bench, with Milo taking a few minutes to gather his thoughts. Yoshi stared eagerly at his cousin hunched over and rubbing his forehead with his right hand. "So, what's on your mind?" Yoshi asked gently.

Milo started off with the tough conversation he had with Brendan and Ashley, telling Yoshi that he requested for more personal space. Milo explained that he never intended this to be an ungrateful speech and that he loved both Brendan and Ashley dearly, but felt it would be best for the family if Milo got a chance to do things on his own. "Mom and Dad basically took down everything in the school, including the kitchen sink, when they heard someone threw a pitch at my ribs," Milo described, "I just think that'll be too intimidating and make people think that I always have to turn to them for help. I want to fit in and solve problems on my own, and prove to the student body that we orphans can stand on our own."

Yoshi nodded, his body swaying to the breeze. Milo could not judge what Yoshi was thinking with the latter's emotionless face, and the thought of Milo's actions coming across as disrespectful frightened Milo. Yoshi had done so much for Milo throughout his orphaned years, and while Milo knew Yoshi had an open mind, Milo also knew that his words were not easy for any individual to stomach. What if Yoshi took it negatively and cut all ties with Milo?

Thankfully, Yoshi turned back to Milo with softened eyes and facial expression. "I had a similar talk with Uncle Brendan and Aunt Ashley, and they did realize that they should give you some room," Yoshi responded, placing his free hand on Milo's shoulder, "I don't think they're offended by your words, although not every parent would have taken them as well as they did. They do realize that they can get overprotective, and they're willing to let you handle it on your own if need be. So if you're worried about insulting them, then I assure you they aren't."

Milo's posture relaxed at those words, his entire back straightening and a smile returning to his face. But before the boy could say anything, Yoshi continued, "You are aware why my uncle and aunt are that protective of you, right? They do this because they care about you, and they know your hardships when you were in the sewers. They want to make sure none of this ever happens to you again, so that's why they will get concerned when you get bullied."

"I know, and I promise you I won't shut them out of my life. Like what happened when we first met, you guys took a chance on me, and I'm forever grateful," Milo reassured Yoshi. With that, he moved on to the conversation he had with his fellow orphans, going over details on the lack of progress due to lack of interest from the student body in the orphanage concert. Then, he went on to the sensitive issue of Mark and Haley calling out Milo and Sean for their passive approach to dealing with the jocks. "I just want to give those guys as many chances as possible to change, but they either don't get it or they completely ignore it," Milo explained.

"Well, there's no contract written in blood between you guys to ensure that they always get the benefit of the doubt. If those jerks keep harassing you guys, and physically harms you again like they did with Scott, then my advice to you from last time about pressing charges or taking legal action will be viable," Yoshi articulated, one hand on his chin the whole time, "Are Mark and Haley just frustrated that the jerks aren't listening, so they want you to do more?"

"Sean mentioned that some of those varsity guys are offered college scholarships to play collegiate sports, and that's the only way some of them will get in," Milo responded. "I guess I don't want to ruin their lives by making them lose scholarships, but then Haley said they don't deserve them if they keep acting like this. You see why I'm stuck between them?"

"I do, but think back to when I photographed the bruises on your ribs. Remember what I said to you at that time?" Yoshi asked, gesturing his arm to the opposite direction, "I told you that having the evidence available is the most important thing. Even if you don't go to the cops or sue them, you at least have some protection. If you have some legal option to fall back on, it can scare those guys off. Besides, you're also helping anyone else who is a victim of bullying and hazing in the school. Are there other people being picked on in similar fashion?"

Milo nodded, going on to describe what happened to Richie and Willis. Even when those two kept a distance from varsity people, they were still targeted. It prompted Yoshi to comment, "Remember that the varsity guys won't see you as a gentleman just because you don't take action, so always be smart and alert during this time."

"I will, Yoshi," Milo promised his cousin, a small smile cracking across his face again, "I just don't want this to become bigger than it has to be, that's all. I do want to stop hazing in the school, but I want to do it in a way that allows the varsity guys to solve it on their own."

"There's nothing wrong with that, but you have to remember that you're not their parent or their teacher," Yoshi reminded Milo, listing off his points with the lifting of each finger, "You can't expect yourself to coach all these guys through their behaviours. You have to keep acting professionally, because how you act will influence how you come across in the long run. Maybe some of the varsity people who can find it in their hearts to change may be affected by this and will resolve to end hazing. But if they don't, then it's time to break out the legal methods."

Milo nodded thoughtfully, but his eyebrows became creased. Sensing Milo feeling unsure, Yoshi described it another way. "Lots of things have happened since you were adopted, some positive and some negative. All your actions and decisions go toward creating a world that you ultimately have to live in. Despite all your challenges, you're still here living in the world you've created. Whether the world is light or dark is up to your own actions, but if you remain positive and keep jealousy and hate out of your mind, I think you can conquer any obstacle."

Milo seemingly understood, thanking Yoshi once more for his words. Yoshi knew that Milo was still building his world, which would require patience and much trial-and-error. But if Milo could find the right path, there was no way he could be stopped. With that, Yoshi hopped off the bench and tapped Milo on the shoulder. "Now let's get back home," he suggested, "I can't wait to see what Aunt Ashley will be cooking for us tonight."

* * *

Here's another series of things I was inspired by when I wrote this chapter:

1.) It is my headcanon that many Smashers are musical, even when they didn't really show that in their games. I feel having them perform at the orphanage is a good way to build in their involvement with Milo. Even though I like this story's progress a lot, I don't want Milo (an OC) to dominate the screen time, so there will be more Smashers later on.

2.) The characters Richie and Willis are two of my older creations from an immigration project I did about a decade ago. That project was put on hiatus and my characters weren't used for anything else. So when I realize I can widen the scope of the school bullying, I thought I would bring them back, and here they are.

3.) Milo's conversation with Brendan and Ashley is modelled after Toph Bei Fong, with the difference being Milo's parents are more receptive than Toph's parents. Since Milo is adopted and spent significant time in horrendous conditions, it's not out of the question that his parents are more protective of him. What I'm portraying is that Milo wants to carve his own path while not forgetting his past and how his parents (and Yoshi) gave him a second chance. This is why his feelings are conflicted and he sometimes doesn't know what to do with his parents.

4.) Several ideas in this chapter (the school's toxic culture, difficulty in getting a remedy from the authorities, Yoshi's conversation with Milo at the end) are inspired by emails I had with **Kelev**. I can truly say that she is an absolutely amazing human being full of wisdom and mature beyond her years, and listening to her gave me many good ideas for this story. So thank you so much for you advice and I hope to keep working with you in this story.

Other than that, I feel like we have all the necessary pieces to move forward with this story. Basically put, Milo believes, based on what happened to Richie and Willis, that it's increasingly difficult to separate the varsity guys from the toxic culture. Now that he sees the varsity guys as part of the toxic culture, is there any way of reconciling with them? Or will more bullying occur, making things worse for Milo and his friends? Tune in next time to find out!


	4. Milo's Baseball Debut

I want to thank **Cody the Pikachu** for the review from last chapter, and also for giving me a lot of great advice for this and the next chapter. I will really put things in motion right now, with Milo playing his first baseball game and a huge confrontation between the jocks and one of the orphans. As well, many Smashers will be introduced to larger roles in this chapter, so you don't want to miss what's going on. Hang tight readers, because this is going to be great!

Nintendo owns Super Smash Bros. I own Milo Sullivan, his parents, his friends, and all other OC's in this story.

* * *

"Is there any reason why we are here, watching the very people we vow to stay away from play baseball?" Mark asked in annoyance, glaring at the players now taking the field. It was a strange request to say the least when Milo approached his three orphan friends to go watch a varsity baseball game with him. Given the nasty way they were treated by these guys, why would Milo even want them to show any support to the varsity team?

"The entire point is to stay as far away from them as possible and hope they don't try to retaliate another way," Haley added, her dark look alternating between the field and Milo. The lone girl of the group saw no reason to see a bunch of athletes who didn't deserve any of the accolades bestowed upon them, including scholarships to play collegiate ball. Haley maintained her stance that if she administered the colleges, these guys would not receive a dollar. "And if what Richie and Willis said about soccer initiation is true, then I won't be surprised they'll do the same to you, even if you say no," she informed Milo.

Milo tried his best to calm his two volcanic friends down. "I'm not here to get their attention," Milo explained, waving his hands in assurance, "I'm just here to see if I can pick up some skills for my hitting. You all know I'm struggling with hitting, which is why I haven't gotten a lot of playing time. If I improve my offence, then maybe I can play more."

Mark and Haley simply sighed while Scott giddily observed the field, watching the varsity team do their warm-ups. Even though their actions were similar to everything Milo did for junior varsity, there was a definite swagger about this group that set them apart from Milo's team. The straight poses, the strut-like walks, and even the way they fielded balls or swung the bats, everything resonated authority to Milo. "Just the look of these guys marching onto the field makes you think they are pretty cool," Scott commented, stuffing a candy bar into his mouth.

"Scott, these cool guys are led by the same person who gave you a wedgie and sent you straight into the trash. If you think they're really that cool, I suggest you think twice," Mark spat, crossing his arms in an unimpressed fashion, "Milo, the only thing you're learning by watching these guys is how to look like the biggest scumbags in the entire school."

"There's a reason why these guys are on varsity, and I want to find out what that is. I'm sure they didn't get on this team because they act like they're the big people on campus," Milo responded calmly. He did promise everyone that he would never behave like these guys, so why did Mark and Haley have so little faith in Milo?

Warm-ups soon gave way to the game itself, where Milo got a chance to see the varsity guys truly show their skills. As his school was the home team, Milo saw his schoolmates take to the field first. He paid special attention to the outfielders, observing how they kept their eyes on the hitter from when the hitter stepped into the batter's box. While Milo could not guess what each outfielder was thinking, he could judge based on the way they were positioned that they played to each hitter's weakness. "So they may actually shift slightly to the left or right based on the handedness of the hitter and whether the hitter likes to pull the ball or not," Milo murmured.

Milo's observations continued to the infielders, who got a lot more work this inning than the outfielders. From what Milo heard, the pitcher on the mound was a groundball pitcher who got a lot of outs via the groundout. Even though Milo was unlikely to play infield, he still took in their observations on the hitter and how they reacted to balls hit their way. More interesting was the fact that the outfielders would move according to the infielders as a way to back them up if the ball got past the infield. These were aspects that Milo never thought about in the past, but could sure use more frequently if he ever took the field.

Soon enough, three outs were reached and it was the home team's turn to bat. "Who do you think will hit one out of the park?" Scott asked, turning to his friends with a cheeky grin.

Mark and Haley only rolled their eyes at Scott's enthusiasm, neither of them too willing to watch the jocks show off. "It's nothing more than another one of their sad attempts to act like they own the world," Haley retorted, glaring at the field with narrowing eyes.

Milo tried to ignore the bickering behind him as he returned his attention to the field. He focused in on the leadoff hitter, a position known for a high batting average, good speed, and smart base running skills. Fortunately, the leadoff hitter for the varsity team was right-handed, meaning almost everything he did was applicable to Milo. "Let's see what you can come up with," Milo muttered, his eyes zooming in like a hawk hunting its prey.

From just watching the leadoff hitter alone, Milo picked up lots of little things that he never thought about before. Other than the usual flamboyance from the varsity player, Milo noticed that the hitter had a very good appreciation of the strike zone, knowing when to swing away and when to back off. Milo also noted the timing of the swings, realizing that he totally neglected his internal clock when he practiced in the batting cage. "Next time I take batting practice, I've got to be more aware of that," Milo reminded himself.

It only took a couple more pitches before the leadoff hitter laced a shot into the outfield, sending it just over the head of the shortstop. Milo watched the whole way as the hitter shot out of the batter's box and to first base, noting how the foot and leg positioning gave him the best push and shortened the amount of time taken. While his coaches mentioned some of these skills briefly, it was totally different when Milo actually saw them in action. At least he now knew what to do to make himself a better player.

The rest of the game went uneventfully for Milo and his friends, with his school taking a good lead and not really looking back. Despite Mark and Haley grumbling about the varsity team being show-offs earlier, there was nothing more than a couple of high-fives or fist bumps here and there. For a while, Milo almost thought Mark and Haley were just overreacting and should chill out. "See? Those guys aren't as bad as you say," Scott remarked, like he read Milo's mind.

But things soon fell apart in the late innings, when the varsity team already had a sizeable lead. Watching the field in anticipation, Milo could see Mick, the varsity captain, strut into the batter's box. He gave a couple of cocky stares into the benches and the bleachers, almost like he was guaranteeing a home run. "Who does he think he is, Babe Ruth?" Haley spat, shaking her head in disgust, "Stop posturing and keep your eyes on the ball."

Mick took a couple of pitches, almost like posing as a model in the batter's box. While Milo watched all the little things Mick did with hitting, Mark and Haley tried their hardest not to throw up. Then, before anyone of them could react, Mick put a charge into a fastball down the middle of the plate and sent it sailing through the air. Milo's eyes followed the ball the whole time, too shocked to appreciate just how far that sailed. Whatever power that Mick showed, it turned that pitch into a no-doubt-about-it homerun.

Mark and Haley emitted loud groans, turning Milo back to the field. The junior varsity player caught his varsity counterpart barely taking a step from the batter's box, like he was just admiring the shot he sent out. After what seemed like an eternity, Mick finally left the batter's box, trotting down the base path with his head held high and chest stuck out. If Milo and Scott had any doubts about those guys showboating, those doubts were thoroughly erased. "What was it you guys said about giving them another chance?" Mark whispered mockingly.

Things really snowballed from that moment on, with every varsity members going up to bat looking like they were superstars. Unfortunately, the other team didn't take that too kindly, retaliating with some of their own showboating when their pitcher recorded a strikeout to end the inning. Milo had a bad feeling that things were about to boil over, which would turn this match into something much more catastrophic. What if this turned into a brawl instead?

Milo's worst fears were confirmed at Mick's next at-bat. Given it was the eighth inning and the team was leading by a bunch of runs, it seemed like the perfect time for the visitors to send Mick's team a message. Winding up, the opposing pitcher sent a pitch right into Mick's ribs, reminiscent of when Milo himself was drilled. A staring match ensued between Mick and the opposing pitcher, with various derogatory words being exchanged, and before Milo knew it, the benches cleared. It took the umpires every ounce of energy just to separate the groups, and even then it was getting crazier by the second. "Should we get out of here before the fight makes it up here? Or maybe Milo can call some of his Smasher friends to protect us?" Scott eked out.

Indeed, Mark and Haley saw enough. They slowly made their way down the stands and away from the field, with Scott following closely while Milo showed more reluctance. He still wanted to stick around and learn more about hitting techniques, but even he had to concede that things were out of hand. Milo knew he would hear it from Mark and Haley on Mick's arrogance after that homerun, and Milo believed he couldn't truly defend Mick's actions either. With his plan to give the varsity team as many chances to redeem themselves as possible now awry, Milo could only hope this arrogance didn't turn into more hazing against him and the rest of the junior varsity team. "Let's just go home," he suggested to his friends.

* * *

"Thank you so much for coming today. It's so great to see former orphans giving back to the organization they were part of before," the orphanage staff greeted the group as they gathered at the main hall. As agreed upon before, the orphans were to meet with the orphanage staff to see what preparation was required for their concert night. With their notebooks and other blueprints in hand, Mark, Scott, and Haley were determined to make this work out.

"Actually, we're still waiting for one more to come," Mark pointed out, glancing back at the door. Unfortunately, it was Milo's baseball game, with his team being the visitors. While Milo was on an opponent's field, Yoshi would take his place in planning for the concert. "He should be here soon, so can we give him a few more minutes?" he requested.

The receptionist nodded, heading back to the main hall while the threesome took a seat at the front bench. "Did Yoshi tell you why he was running late?" Scott asked his older brother.

Mark shrugged. "I'm guessing he's bringing as many of the Smashers here as possible," he replied, flipping through his notes again, "It's pretty pathetic that the only people who give a hoot about this performance don't even live in our city. What does that say about our school?"

"Come on, Mark," Scott moaned, rubbing his forehead in frustration, "Can we just get off this and move on? It's almost like every single time you get a chance, you take a pot shot at the people in our school. Do you hate it there that much?"

"It's not so much hating the school, but the toxic culture there," Haley retorted, shooting the younger brother a dark look, "When I join a club whose sole purpose is to help those in need back on their feet, I expect them to jump at the opportunity to do this concert. Instead, I see them hemming and hawing, being much more concerned with pleasing the school hierarchy who don't need their help as desperately. How can you say there isn't a toxic culture there?"

"Hey guys, sorry we're late!" a voice from the doorway exclaimed, stopping Scott from giving any response to Haley's challenge. The three orphans glanced up to see Yoshi with his Smasher friends all lined up at the door. "They promised they'd show up, and here they are!"

"We're all going to help you out on this, guys," Mario stated, stepping up next to Yoshi with his younger brother clad in green, "Luigi and I are both in this, and we're willing to do whatever it takes to make this show the best it can be."

Mark cracked a rare smile, partially in gratitude but also in relief. "I can't believe this will really work out," he eked out, closing his notebook and standing up from the bench, "I know Milo is at his baseball game and won't join us until much later, but if we can get as much done right now and give him an update when he comes, I'm sure we'll all be on the same page."

"And I just want to say for us three and Milo, thank you so much for taking your time to do this," Haley added, standing proudly next to Mark with a grin of her own, "Both current and former orphans are about to be very happy if this works out."

Walking through those halls brought a strange feeling to Mark, Scott, and Haley, who spent a good few years here. They still recalled when they were all by themselves, having little to no contact with other orphans, and dreaming of when they could finally leave here. Bad feelings resonating from years of being here and inadequate attempts to meet their needs drove them and Milo into a street gang. But now, they could only hope things were better for the current orphans.

At the same time, this concert was a great opportunity for the current orphans to get some brightness in their lives. Despite all the negativity and pessimism, here was something they could truly smile about. Milo managed to get all the orphans who joined the street gang to return, and some of them were already adopted between then and now. Hopefully, with continued efforts to inspire and encourage the orphans, things would look up for them.

"Alright, so let's see what we can do here," Mark stated as they entered the main hall. This was where meals were served and large functions were held, and it also happened to be the largest room in the orphanage. "We already have a semi-stage set up in the back, with those steps and the elevated platform. All we have to do is set up the power and equipment."

"You can leave that to me," Samus Aran, the bounty hunter in the tight blue suit stated, stepping up to the stage area and gesturing around, "I think we can set up the sound system to either side of the stage, and we'll just bring our instruments to the centre. Have we decided how many people will perform and how much room is required for the instruments?"

"Actually, all the performers are in this room right now," Scott sheepishly replied, "I still can't get the school band to commit to our show. Their main priorities are the pep rally and the Athletics Appreciation Night, so the band leaders think the guys should give this a pass."

Several Smashers cursed under their breaths. "Well, that's not going to do us any good," Fox muttered, holding the sides of his head in thought. While Fox and several others were more than willing to perform, the entire intention was to have as diverse a group as possible. "Is there anyone at the school willing to perform, even if they aren't in band?"

Sadly, Scott responded in negative. "Looks like we'll have to steal the show ourselves," Pikachu decided, rubbing his small arms together, "Other than music, what else should we do?"

"We're thinking to include food, maybe a dance, and just general fun and games," Haley replied, flipping through her notebook, "I just think of this as like a big festival where these kids can meet you guys and enjoy the time. It's meant to be fun, so if you guys can bring some of the things from your home worlds to showcase to the kids, then it'll be great."

"Oh, then there's no problem with that. When it comes to food, I'm more than happy to help out," Kirby exclaimed, causing a chorus of giggles from the Smashers. With Kirby's huge appetite, they were more concerned with the Star Warrior eating everything before the orphans could approach the table. "Just let us know who has allergies to what, and we'll get it done."

"What about runtime and scheduling?" Zelda, the Hylian princess and Link's soul mate, asked, "Do we want to have the concert where everyone watches the stage, or can this be more flexible where you can have kids do whatever they want for a period of time?"

"We don't have a schedule set in stone, but that's because Milo and Yoshi said they want you guys to control the schedule if you guys are the main performers," Mark responded, making some notes on the pages, "If we assume that you will be the main performers because no one at the school will do it, what ideas do you have in mind?"

"If we do perform as well as interact with the kids, then I think we should probably split the concert into parts," Link suggested, whipping out his own set of notes. Approaching Mark, he showed the former orphan his ideas for the show. "Some of the others and I discussed this, and we think we should leave the concert for last. Before we perform, we should interact with the orphans and get to know them a bit. This serves our purpose of reaching out to them."

Before long, the former orphans and the Smashers had a productive exchange of ideas, all the while bringing in orphanage staff to address logistical and timing concerns. Overall, much progress was made on making this show a reality, and it was not long a question of if but when as to getting the show on the road. "Well guys, looks like we'll be just fine," Scott declared.

Just then, a boy wearing a reverse ball cap trotted into the room. "Sorry for being late. The game ran late and I got here as quick as I could," Milo announced amidst deep breaths, "How is the planning coming? Is everything going alright?"

The Smashers all greeted Milo and updated him on the news. "Your friends did a great job with the planning, and with all of us involved, I don't think this can go any better," Yoshi explained to his cousin.

Milo managed a little smile, too overwhelmed to properly react. It was like he climbed up another level on this mountain. "Since we're all into good news, let me tell you some good news of my own," he reported to his friends and the Smashers, "The coaches told me that because our next game is against a team with a left-handed pitcher, they want me in the starting lineup. You heard right, you guys: I will be starting my first baseball game later this week."

* * *

"Milo, what are you doing out in the backyard?" Brendan asked, glancing out the back door and into the lawn. Indeed, standing in the grass was his son, holding a baseball bat in his hands and swinging at a ball placed on a tee. "You do realize it's getting quite late, yes? If you make more noise with your swings, the neighbours might complain."

Milo glanced back at his adoptive father, his eyes a mix of anxiety and excitement. "I'm sorry, Dad," he responded, easing off his batting stance and turning his body to Brendan, "I'm just really nervous about tomorrow's game, so I want to get in some last minute practice."

"Your last minute practice is keeping everybody up," Brendan responded, stepping off the porch and onto the grass. He gave the boy a glance-over, which only worried Milo more. "If you want, we can talk about what's on your mind. Do you want to do that?"

Milo slung his bat over his shoulder and took a seat on the bottom step of the porch. He could feel the brisk evening of the early spring chill his skin. "Dad, when you played your first ball game, did you ever feel like you'll royally mess it up?" he asked in a shaky tone.

Brendan tilted his head in thought, recalling to when he first played baseball. Brendan was not much older than Milo when he first joined a school baseball team, and he recalled getting teased about his performance. "There was a comment about my baseball swing looking like a golf swing," Brendan stated with a chuckle, "But I soon found my way through it. So you don't have to worry about playing poorly to begin with, because soon enough you'll get it right."

Milo winced. The sight of the varsity guys smacking those pitches out like it was nothing, and then trotting around the bases like they just won the lottery, left a sour taste in Milo's mouth. Given how the varsity athletes were already making fun of him and his friends, would Milo get it even harder if he fared poorly tomorrow? "Promise me you won't overreact to this, okay?" Milo requested to Brendan before telling the large dinosaur the full story.

Brendan listened on intently as Milo explained how he attended the varsity game to look for tips on hitting. While Milo did take some tips from that experience and incorporated them into his repertoire, the game left a sour taste in his mouth. Showboating by the varsity athletes caused the game to nearly end with a brawl. "The sad thing is, nothing was done about it," Milo concluded, waving his arms in a frustrated manner, "Other than a lecture about not showing off, those varsity guys got off with a slap on the wrist!"

"This is trouble, but if the school does nothing even though they know it's happening, then there's not much you can push," Brendan answered. Milo was shocked at how calmly his father took it, given Brendan nearly erupted the first time Milo was hit by a pitch. "I still stand by my words and insist that you tell someone in charge, but right now it means going to another group outside of the school. Have you contacted any league officials?"

"Dad, remember what I said about my counsellor?" Milo pointed out, tilting an eyebrow at Brendan, "Mr. Felton told me they have full discretion in deciding what to deal with and how to deal with it. Besides, even if the league reacts, will it stop the jocks from teasing me?"

"But if you get picked on for your performance on the field tomorrow, then you know the school has to get involved, regardless of your counsellor's position," Brendan responded, his tone so low that it felt like he growled under those words, "Milo, there should be no more hazing or bullying going on. Your mother and I promised you and Yoshi that we will give you freedom to do what you want, but we'll never stop defending you when you want help, got that?"

Milo left his bat on the steps and strode into the night, standing in the grass just a few steps in front of his father but keeping his back to Brendan. "I'm just really stressed out, Dad. I just think these varsity guys are making it harder for me to give them another chance."

Brendan looked on, watching his son's outline in the dim lighting at the backyard. Milo's stance resembled his current school situation, where he stood alone with his face away from the crowd due to not being accepted. "Does Yoshi know about this?" Brendan asked gently.

Milo nodded while turning sideways, causing Brendan to see half of Milo's face while the other half was shrouded in darkness. "He told me that everything they do will ultimately go towards the situation they put themselves in, and I should just try to stay positive and not hold grudges against them," Milo explained, "I've been trying to let the jocks realize it's wrong to act the way they do. So why does it always feel like they don't care, and that they want to make fun of my friends and me even more?"

"Normally, your mother and I will say this means the school is incompetent and you should get yourself a lawyer. But after thinking the last few conversations through, I think Yoshi is on track," Brendan described, taking a few steps forward before stopping before Milo, "You can't control how those guys act, just like how they control how you act. When I was playing high school ball, there was a varsity guy who told me I'd be a minor leaguer all my life. It didn't stop me from playing, and eventually I got to play college ball and professional ball."

Brendan placed a hand on his son's shoulder, trying to get through to the boy who still refused to look at him. "You joined this baseball team because you like the sport, not because you want to be popular and be poisoned by the school's toxic culture. You're also fighting for a noble cause by giving back to the orphanage and holding a concert there with your friends and the Smashers. For that alone, you should be commended," Brendan pointed out each aspect with a calm tone, "You live your life for you, not for a bunch of people who don't appreciate you."

Finally Milo turned his head back to his father. His expression did not change much, but Brendan could see a softening of the eyes. "Thanks, Dad," he responded, his voice barely above a whisper, "I hope you and Mom can come see the game tomorrow. I know the Smashers will all be there to cheer me on, so the more the merrier, right?"

"Absolutely," Brendan responded with a wide grin, "I've already decided to close down my store for the afternoon just to watch your game, and your mother told me she'll let the sous chefs and assistant cooks do the work at the restaurant tomorrow. There's no way we'll miss your first game, so you can count on all of us to be there supporting you."

Milo nodded. With that, he trotted to the grass to take back the tee and retrieved the baseballs he sprayed all over the yard. Milo was surprised that despite having a relatively small backyard, he did not actually hit any over the fence. "I guess that means I'm not a homerun hitter, right?" he joked, "I focus more on my speed and stealing bases anyway."

Brendan held the back door open for Milo to re-enter the house, making sure it was locked before he followed his son back upstairs. While Milo still had reservations about how well he would perform on the field tomorrow, Brendan was not concerned about that. This was a good opportunity for him and Ashley to really bond with Milo, as well as showing Milo that he had a whole bunch of friends in the Smashers supporting and loving him the whole way. If this could put Milo back into positive territory, then everything would take off like a rocket.

* * *

Milo's heart could not stop pumping as he tried his hardest to concentrate. He stretched and trotted in the outfield, imagining that in mere minutes, he would be catching fly balls in centre field. Knowing all that he went through, with the varsity team and their hazing schemes, Milo's only intent was to not mess this up. There was a lot riding on this start, even though it was only his first start, and Milo hoped a good performance would be a sign of things to come.

Milo took a gander around and saw only a few students take the stands. Milo figured that they were most likely here to cheer on their friends or just to take in a game. When Mark, Scott, and Haley went with Milo to see the varsity game, Milo recalled there was a similar amount of people, except most of them were girls. It was after the game that Milo found out from Sean, who was the ball boy that day, that some of those girls were on the cheerleading squad, while others had boyfriends playing that day. "They probably did the showboating just to impress those girls," Milo murmured to himself, turning his body to stretch out his oblique.

But today, it was Milo who had the biggest cheerleading session. After Brendan and Ashley promised they would show up, Yoshi and the Smashers also agreed to appear as well. Add them to Mark, Scott, and Haley and Milo could have about fifteen people all here to watch him play. Even though Milo never felt the need to be super popular, he couldn't help but feel he was the big person on campus today. "Which is why I want to do well today, because I can't let all my friends and family down," Milo added.

"Hey Milo, we're here!" a familiar voice called. Milo turned his head to the fences and saw Yoshi and the Smashers marching up to the field. They were followed by Milo's parents and friends, all of which looking like they genuinely enjoyed being here. "These are all the Smashers who say they want to come," Yoshi announced, waving at the line of people behind him.

Milo scanned the line of Smashers and beamed wide. Yoshi brought his best friend Mario, who brought along his brother Luigi and his girlfriend Peach. The Mushroom Kingdom princess had her parasol with her, looking like she came prepared for the sun. Behind them were Yoshi's best friends from outside his world, Kirby and Pikachu. "Pikachu wanted to bring along Lucario, but Lucario couldn't make it," Yoshi explained.

Milo's turned to his two best friends from the Smashers not named Yoshi, which were Fox McCloud and Link. Milo bonded well with them due to their shared traits as orphans, and Milo often turned to them for help when Yoshi was unavailable. "Fox, did Falco not show up at all?" Milo asked, inquiring about the vulpine's avian second-in-command.

"You know what? I'm starting to wonder if he wants to take part in the fourth round at all!" the Cornerian pilot exclaimed, waving his arms dramatically, "I'm the only Cornerian here, and I haven't seen any of my friends or teammates. Looks like I have to fly solo this time."

"Hey, relax," Link chimed in, patting Fox on the shoulder, "If they want to miss out on Milo's baseball game, then that's their loss. Don't forget that Milo's our friend too." Turning back to Milo, the Hylian hero gave the baseball player a serene smile. "I'm really proud of you, Milo. Now go out there and knock one out of the park!"

"Thanks, Link. I appreciate that," Milo responded with a grin of his own. Then, turning his attention to an anomalous object on Link, Milo asked, "Where did you get the scarf?"

Milo, Link, and Zelda all took a gander at Link's neck. Indeed, on top of the usual green tunic Link wore so religiously, a blue scarf was wrapped around Link. The end flowing down Link's back like a thin cape, ending at around his waist level. At the end of the scarf dangling from Link's back was the Triforce symbol etched in orange. "I gave that to Link," Zelda explained, lifting the loose end to show Milo, "Spring in northern California can get chilly, despite the sunny weather. So if he ever comes to visit you at this time, this thing stays on."

Link responded by lovingly wrapping an arm around Zelda. It was evident that those two were very much in love and would have a great married life together. Watching them trot off, Milo turned his eyes to the remaining individuals. He saw Samus, and following her was a large gorilla that Milo identified as Donkey Kong. Bringing up the rear was a swordsman with blue hair, and Milo figured this was the mysterious and aloof Marth. "What a crowd," Milo stated.

"Oh, you can't believe how persistent Yoshi was in making sure we all show up," Samus informed Milo, "He really wanted us to be here, and we were more than happy to oblige."

Milo's parents were behind the parade of Smashers, both beaming with pride at their son. "Your father and I promised we would show up. There's no way I'm missing my boy's first game," Ashley announced, reaching over the fence and gently massaged Milo's shoulder, "Just go out there and do the best you can, but make sure you have fun, okay?"

"For sure," Milo responded, overwhelmed at the incredible amount of support from his loved ones. For at least a few minutes, the butterflies in his stomach eased their fluttering. The appearance of all these individuals gave him just enough confidence to believe that maybe things were not as bad as they seemed. "Mom, Dad, thank you both for coming."

Finally, Milo addressed his fellow orphans, all of whom were also present for the varsity game earlier that week. "Well, this is it," Scott declared, rubbing his hands in glee, "Are you all set to show those jerks that you can play as well as any of them?"

"Yeah, I hope so," Milo replied. His eyes trailed off to the side, still trying to get the nervousness out of his body. While he appreciated everyone's support, Milo was also concerned that a poor game might embarrass himself in front of his loved ones. "None of those varsity guys are here watching, are they? You don't see any of those jocks in the stands?"

"No, they're not there," Haley chimed in, taking a cursory look at the bleachers. By now, they could see Milo's family and the Smashers seated at the final two rows of the bleachers closest to the batter's box. "But it doesn't matter anyway, because you're not going to showboat the way those idiots will. You're not going to make a fool out of yourself, right?"

Milo shook his head, much to the approval of Haley and Mark. "We'll be in the stands cheering you on," Mark informed Milo, "We'll just sit close to your family and the Smashers. So if you look in that direction, you'll see all of us cheering for you."

"Yeah, how many varsity jocks can claim their personal cheerleading section?" Scott added. The two brothers and Haley soon took to the stands, leaving Milo by his lonesome in the field. Looking at his junior varsity teammates, Milo wondered how they would do and if any varsity member would make fun of them if they struggled. Did they get fewer taunts because they weren't rejects like Milo, or did the varsity guys haze and bully them just the same?

Soon enough, the coaches waved at the team to gather at the bench for a final briefing before starting the game. Milo picked up his glove and trotted into the dugout, hearing his friends and family applauding and chanting the entire way. He gave them a quick wave before gathering with the rest of his team, listening intently to the coaches' words. He realized that the team was at or around the five hundred mark all season, meaning they had about an equal number of wins and losses. While this was good enough for making the playoffs, it would only put them as about middle of the pack. The coaches were intent on turning them into contenders starting this game.

"Everyone on three, say 'go team!'" the head coach declared. Everybody placed their hands in the middle with Milo following suit. "One, two, three, go team!" Milo shouted with the rest of the guys before taking the field. As he was the home team, he had to field first, meaning taking his spot in centre field. He had no problems with defence, being able to get to fly balls quickly with his speed. Instead, Milo dreaded what would happen if he stepped into the box.

Luckily for Milo, the first three innings where he took the field were quite uneventful. There were no fly balls hit his way and the other team did not manage to score a run. Likewise, his team only managed to reach base once in the first two innings, meaning Milo did not get to hit. He noticed his friends and family getting a stir when he was on deck anticipating an at-bat, but that was not the case. Now, as the bottom of the third inning approached, Milo's moment of truth was about to come. Per the batting order, Milo was about to lead off the bottom of the third.

"Now batting is centre fielder, number fourteen, Milo Sullivan," the announcer's voice called from the intercom. As Milo stepped into the batter's box, he took a glance over his back and saw his friends and family shot to their feet. Many applauded wildly while some Smashers held up signs and posters with Milo's name and face on it. Seeing how enthusiastic they were in supporting him, Milo couldn't help but show a small grin.

"Wow, Sullivan has quite a cheering section in the stands. Let's see what he can do," the announcer continued. With that, Milo tried to block out all sights and sounds, got into his batting stance, and focused directly at the pitcher. It was like tunnel vision taken to the highest level, with Milo's eyes zeroing in on the pitcher's left hand like a laser. At any time now, that baseball would hurtle through the air and straight at Milo like a missile. The only thing Milo could hope for was that he reacted fast enough and got a good hit on that pitch.

Just when Milo thought the pitch reached the ideal spot, he set his arms in motion and swung the bat as hard as he could. The fact that he only heard a "whoosh" indicated he missed the pitch completely. "Strike one!" the umpire yelled from behind him, much to Milo's chagrin. Shaking his head, Milo stepped out of the batter's box and took a deep breath to calm down.

As he stepped back in, Milo could hear his family, friends, and the Smashers cheering on in the background, giving him words of encouragement from the stands. Even though Milo really appreciated that, it was time for him to block those words out. What was most important right now was the person throwing at him, and that meant anything not related to baseball was out of his mind. Taking his stance, Milo zeroed in on the pitcher once more.

This time, the pitch was low, almost hitting the ground before going into the catcher's mitt. Hearing the umpire call that ball one, Milo relaxed his stance a bit and took another few breaths. It gave Milo time to think about to varsity team and how they managed to be that cool under fire. While Milo was not about to become friends with any of the varsity guys, he had to admit that they played their sport well. Those guys must be mentally tough to concentrate and focus that well on. Milo was still nervous even though there was no score and nobody stood on base, but those guys could perform even when they were behind and having few chances to score in order to win. Could Milo now apply what he saw at the varsity game to his current situation?

Milo barely gathered his thoughts when the pitcher wound up for another pitch, this time a fat one down the middle. Milo gathered all his strength and sent the barrel of the bat through the strike zone, this time making contact. However, the ball did not land where he wanted it to, as it popped straight up into the air and out of play. "Foul ball, strike two," the umpire called. Sighing deeply, Milo knew he had one more strike left before the at-bat was over.

This time, Milo stood his ground, ready to swing the second the ball left the pitcher's hand. This might only be his first at-bat in his whole career, and there might be quite a few more at-bats to come, but Milo really wanted to make this one count. It was like everything moved in slow motion when the pitcher went through the motions and released the pitch. With the small white sphere sailing across the air and towards Milo, the batter's arms and hands did what was natural and began its swing. Milo's mind was nothing more than a spectator, watching all the actions unfold and hoping contact could be made on the pitch.

Unfortunately, that was not the case. Milo swung right through the pitch and the bat sliced through the air like a blade. The ball landed safely in the catcher's mitt, never touching the bat at all. "Strike three, you're out!" the umpire shouted, flicking his hand towards the direction of the bench. With his first at-bat as nothing more than a pathetic swing-and-miss, Milo ducked his head and trudged back to the dugout a dejected individual.

* * *

"That was not the way you wanted your baseball career to begin, was it?" Scott muttered to Milo at their usual lunchroom table. It was the day after the baseball game where Milo had his cheering section in attendance, and unfortunately for Milo it was one he wished he could forget. Not only did he not get a single hit, he went down on all three at-bats via the strikeout. Adding salt to the wound was that the visiting team won by a one-run margin, meaning any hit that Milo got would potentially help his team. How pathetic did he have to look yesterday?

"Hey, it's not all bad. Some varsity guys have bad games too," Sean pointed out. The ball boy was not at the junior varsity game yesterday, mainly because varsity kept him for their practice. It meant junior varsity had to get another ball boy for the game, a scenario that left nobody happy. "If even the big guys on campus have off days, then you know you're not alone."

"Yeah, but when those jocks play poorly, they won't get picked on by the school. Milo, on the other hand, only gets humiliated even more," Mark retorted, regurgitating some of the harsher taunts he heard in the sophomore classes. While Milo tried to keep a strong face, it was obvious that Milo was affected by the words. "I'm not saying this to be mean, Milo," Mark added, "I just want you to know what's going on and hope you brace yourself for those guys."

"I suggest you brace yourself within the next few seconds, because here are those idiots," Haley pointed out. Everyone turned their heads to see several varsity team captains strut into the cafeteria, all of whom surrounded by cheerleaders. And with where their eyes were zeroed in on, there was no denying where they were heading towards.

"What have we here," Mick, the varsity baseball captain called, "Sullivan got his first start yesterday, and what happened? Three swings-and-misses and he went down like a sissy!"

That emitted a series of giggles, much to Milo's disapproval. As if they wanted more than just a clenching of the fists, Ralph the varsity soccer captain added his two cents. "At this rate, even doing the rituals won't get you accepted. Why don't you just quit the team?"

"Knock it off already!" Mark snapped, shooting a dark glance at the two captains. Turning to Milo, he tried to reassure the youngest orphan. "Milo, don't listen to those guys. All this talk is garbage, so don't even think about getting involved with their hazing."

"And what about that little cheerleading squad of yours? Did they all run home like the losers that they are when their hero struck out in spectacular fashion?" Greg the alternate varsity baseball captain added, "Maybe you should run home to your mommy as well!"

"And I bet none of your cheerleaders are as hot as us," Louise, the head cheerleader and girlfriend of Mick, remarked. She wore a low-collar shirt and had blue streaks in her hair. "Especially that wannabe," she continued, gesturing at Haley, "What's with your ugly clothes?"

The jocks and cheerleaders all taunted the orphans once more before they stepped away, but one orphan would not let them off the hook. Storming out of her seat, Haley confronted them right in the middle of the cafeteria. "Who do you think you are? What makes you think you have the right to talk that way about us?" she demanded, marching straight to the athletes' table.

The group shot Haley unimpressed looks, but it was the cheerleaders who took it straight to Haley. "And what makes you think you can even talk to us, Palmer?" Louise retorted, glaring at Haley with disgusted eyes, "Just standing next to you makes me want to puke. Is that the smell from you living too long in the sewers sticking on you permanently?"

Louise's friend and fellow cheerleader Betsy then helped pile on Haley. Like Louise, Betsy also had streaks in her hair, except they were green rather than blue. "With your clothes and messy hair, you look like you got hit by a bus," she commented, wriggling her nose at Haley, "Why don't you keep your road kill away from us civilized people?"

"Excuse me? Last time I checked, I'm not the one dressed like I work at a strip joint. At least I don't wear shirts hanging so low that half my breasts are sticking out," Haley countered, gesturing at the revealing clothes worn by the cheerleaders.

Before they could respond, Haley then turned her guns to the jocks. "I'm talking to you, along with the basketball and football jocks you're sitting with. What's the deal with your pants sagging so low that half your underwear is sticking out? At least except for what happened to Scott, we always wear crisp shirts and have our pants pulled up. Maybe you should learn from our example on decency and self-respect first!"

Immediately, Mick rushed in to defend his girlfriend. "You're just jealous that girls actually pay attention to us and not your street urchins," he snarled, wrapping an arm around Louise's shoulder, "Who in your group can claim to have a hot girlfriend?"

"Oh, please! Is that the best you can do?" Haley retaliated, gesturing her arms wildly, "I went to your stupid varsity baseball game, and other than your cheerleaders, I don't see your friends in the crowd. How about you tell me who in your group can claim to have an entire group of Smashers cheer you on? You know nothing about friendship, so don't tell us what to do!"

"Why don't you go back to your reject's corner like the reject you are?" Greg hollered, stepping up next to Mick and the cheerleaders, "You're not welcome to our cool kids table!"

"Correction, my friend," Haley responded, turning her guns on the alternate captain, "We're not the rejects corner, but the A's corner. All of us are A students who work our butts off to get the grades, while you guys just wink your eyes and nudge your teachers just to barely pass. If it weren't for athletics scholarships that you don't even deserve, you won't go to college!"

But Haley saved the harshest comment of her onslaught on Ralph and the varsity soccer team, the main planners of the hazing against Milo and all other junior varsity athletes. "Ralph, you realize you play the most archaic sport in the world, right? Soccer is the only sport that does not allow instant replay! Maybe that's why so many mistakes are made on the field and yet no one does anything to fix it," Haley ranted, waving her finger in the auburn-haired captain's face, "But then again, maybe it's because you guys are too dumb to know how to use it. How many brain cells did you kill this year while trying to score goals via the header?"

Haley would manage one more shot before heading back to her table. "We're out there helping people in need by giving back to the orphanage. At no time did we act like we're masters of the universe. So until you learn a little humility, stay out of our way. You jocks think you're so tough? I bet you can't even last a week in the sewers where we used to live!" With that, she whipped around and marched back to her friends like a champion boxer.

"Haley, was all that necessary? You brought a lot of unwanted attention to yourself," Milo hissed, his eyes tilting nervously at the jocks, "Maybe you shouldn't have gone so far."

"Besides, I don't think Pikachu will be too happy with your comment about soccer. After all, he's been selected as a mascot to the Japanese national soccer team for the World Cup," Scott added, taking a bite of his sandwich, "Maybe you should apologize, especially to Pikachu."

"Guys, I have no apologies to make, not even to Pikachu," Haley commented, snapping her lunchbox shut in defiance, "Those jerks and their preppy cheerleaders are out of line, and I'm glad I called them out. We have to keep fighting back to show them we won't be terrorized."

Nobody spoke of this incident for the rest of the day. Milo figured it was shocking that Haley from the rejects table would stand up against the varsity captains and their cheerleader cohorts, the most popular people in the school. Milo always knew Haley had a pugnacious and stubborn attitude, and it was only a matter of time before she erupted on someone. While it bought him some peace and quiet for the rest of the day, something in Milo's mind told him that it was far from over. Would the jocks and the cheerleaders retaliate against Haley?

It wasn't until well into the evening when Milo's question was finally answered, thanks to a frantic phone call from Mark. The usually emotionless one sounded like he had a knife to his throat when he reported the most disturbing thing to Milo. "Haley sent me a weird message and I'm afraid something happened to her," he reported, "I called her house but she wouldn't answer. Her parents said she locked herself in her room, and they think something bad went on!"

* * *

Okay, another series of notes for everyone to understand my train-of-thought and allusion:

1.) The showboating and bean ball incident at the beginning are related to the "unwritten rules" of baseball, where one should not showboat after hitting a homerun. Likewise, baseball is traditionally a game that "takes care of itself," hence the other team will retaliate by throwing at the showboating team. Pretty nasty, but I thought it's good to include here.

2.) Link wearing a blue scarf is a reference to the new Zelda game called "Hyrule Warriors" where Link, in addition to his usual green clothes, now sports a blue scarf. We don't really know the origins of said scarf, so I just made it up here that Zelda gave it to him as a present. They're a couple in my story, so might as well make it something between them.

3.) Haley's comments to the varsity soccer team refers to how FIFA has continuously refused to implement any sort of instant replay in soccer games. Unfortunately, this means one can never overturn a botched call on the field, making soccer one of the least reliable sports when it comes to officiating. The debate on soccer instant replay rages on today.

4.) Scott's comment about Pikachu being a mascot refers to this year's FIFA World Cup in Brazil. The Japanese national team, which qualified for the tournament this year, used Pokémon as their mascots. Pikachu, along with several other Pokémon, are to appear in the World Cup in support of the Japanese team.

And what do you think happened to Haley in the end? What caused the tough-as-nails Korra-wannabe to break down like that? And has anyone seen the trailer for Korra Book 3? Lots of exciting things are happening, so please stay tuned!


End file.
